“Nicolas Kummert is a great player and composer with a great sense of melody. He's not afraid to explore the unknown which I believe is the greatest quality and challenge for any musician". Lionel Loueke
THERE IS OFTEN A WONDERFUL GENTLENESS TO NICOLAS KUMMERT’S PLAYING THAT PERFECTLY SUITS THE MUSIC… AND HE SHOWS A GREAT MUSICAL PERSONALITY”. BRAD MEHLDAU
Jazz saxophonist, electronic artist, singer, composer, researcher, educator… Nicolas Kummert has always shown curiosity, versatility and openness to all styles of music. He played and recorded with his own projects featuring Lionel Loueke, Jeff Ballard, DRIFTER, Nicolas Kummert Voices, SYM and Respire! But also with Pierre van Dormael, Jef Neve, Diederik Wissels & Ana Rocha, Slowly Rolling Camera, Yves Peeters Group, GrooveTHing, Qu4tre, Alexi Tuomarila Quartet, Karl Jannuska group, Matthieu Marthouret, Viktor Lazlo, Cecilia Sanchietti ‘La Terza Via’… His latest release is 'la diversité' on British label Edition Records, a variable geometry group featuring jazz legend Lionel Loueke.
Recently awarded a second Master Degree in composition for film and theatre, Nicolas conducted a research on hybrid sounds and their expressive possibilities where he developed his own modulation process which allows him to manipulate an instrument’s sound without betraying the sonic specificities and the player’s techniques and expressive choices. It is this modulation setup that he explores in his research project at the Conservatory of Antwerp. During 2 years, he will experiment with improvising musicians and manipulate their sounds in real time, observing the interaction between the two musicians who share control of the sonic material they create together. He works as a musician and as a composer for films and dance performances, focusing on hybrid sounds and their expressive possibilities.
He recently composed and played the music of ‘The shape of things to come’ (Pamela Breda) and ‘A bas le soleil’ (Lucien Lepoutre - Kwassa films). He developed his own modulation schemes which he applies to his saxophone (see Saxleton Live) and to the piano (see prepared piano) among other instruments. This hybrid world is particularly suited to multidisciplinary performances.
Nicolas is also active in the contemporary dance scene (Au pied du mur du temps by Fatou Traoré - Charleroi Danse) the African music scene (he played with singers like Patrick Ruffino, or occasionally Manu Di Bango, Keziah Jones), on the DJ scene with hip hop DJs (Grazzhoppa DJ bigband,…) and house DJs (studio recordings and shows in famous clubs like the Ministry of Sound in London, Teatro Kapital in Madrid…). Nicolas was also part of Viktor Lazlo and Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s project “My name is Billie Holiday”, a magnificent tribute to Lady Day that played above 200 shows around the world.
He recorded over 60 albums as a leader or a sideman and played in more than 50 countries worldwide.