Jeremy NY Project

Yotam ben Or, harmonica
Noam Israeli, drums
Maayan smith, sax
Elam Friedlander, doublebass
Jeremy Dumont, piano

Who is… Jérémy Dumont?

His father, a guitar and saxophone player with a genuine interest in Belgian jazz, opens the way to music for Jérémy Dumont (°1987). One of the all-time favourites playing on the turntable in the Dumont household was indeed ‘Duo’ by Paolo Loveri and Fabrice Alleman.

Jérémy himself mainly listened to Jimi Hendrix and French songwriters, until the day he discovers ‘Undercurrent’ by Jim Hall and Bill Evans. It inspires him to look more deeply into jazz and learn all about the language of improvisation.

After a brief stint at the Antwerp Jazz Studio, he enrols at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels primarily to take classes with Eric Legnini.

This is also the place where he gets acquainted with bass player Victor Foulon and drummer Fabio Zamagni who were to become part of his current trio.

The trio’s debut CD was recently released under the title ‘Resurrection’.

His CV also includes projects and groups such as JD’s & X-Project (a hip-hop and soul breakaway with brass section and singer) and Solid Steps Quintet (a tribute to Joe Lovano’s ‘Solid Steps’, alongside Dré Pallemaerts, Bert Joris, Michel Herr and Hein Van De Geyn). He also composed the music for the theatre play ‘L’Audition’.
Both in Dinant and in Comblain-la-Tour, he wins the first prize at the young talent competition.

What is…

… your favourite spot in Brussels?

I will go for Archiduc, it’s after all a place with a unique atmosphere and style. From the start of my career, owner Jean-Louis has given me the necessary opportunities. I regularly meet up with friends there for a good chat or drop in for a concert. Performing at Archiduc is still a challenge in its own right because the audience is as it were nearly sitting on your lap. They usually listen attentively. But there are also nights when people do not care about your music and keep on chatting boisterously. To get their attention, I talk in between the pieces, for instance, I give some background information. It generally helps to calm down the loudest ones.

… the last CD or album you bought for yourself?

I often listen to Spotify. When I hear something I am really interested in, I usually buy the CD. The last CD I discovered and purchased is ‘The Melody’ by Kenny Werner with bassist Johannes Weidenmueller and Ari Hoenig on drums. He alternates his own compositions with classics such as ‘In Your Own Sweet Way’ and ’26-2’ by Coltrane. His style is both extremely relaxed and modern. The harmonious interaction between the musicians really stands out.
At the time, Stéphane Mercier advised me to read his book ‘Effortless Mastery’, which I did. The way in which Werner explains it all, gives you the impression to be spoken to personally. It is all straight talk and always hits the nail on the head. The year I won the competition at the Dinant Jazz Nights with my quartet, he also performed on stage and I had the opportunity to talk with him. I was mostly impressed by his modesty and openness, qualities which are obviously reflected in his work.

… your fondest memory of a recent concert?

The recent concert by Keith Jarrett at BOZAR stands out from the pack. I have seen him perform on several occasions, both in trio or solo, this came out of the proverbial top drawer. Perhaps because I have evolved as a pianist, I now appreciate even more certain aspects of his approach. The man is a true all-rounder, from free and blues to more groovy and pure improvisation. The way he masters rhythm and harmony is simply exceptional. And of course, there is also the myth surrounding the character which he is doing his very best to keep up. In the past, it used to annoy me, now, it makes me smile.

… your favourite quote of the moment?

Here I would like to refer to a quote by Nietzsche, which I learned at school in one of my philosophy lessons: “Without music, life would be a mistake”. I would also like to add the following: “Anyone who wants to understand a people or a culture, always needs to explore its musical heritage first”. In any case, I cannot imagine my life without music. Music brings people together.