Home » Jazz Musicians » Olivia Trummer

Olivia Trummer

Olivia Trummer was born in Stuttgart into a musicians' family. From the beginning Olivia enjoyed being exposed to a world where music comes first. Encouraged and supported by her parents to follow her instinct she soon discovered the grand piano as a means to express herself and to help translate her perception into music. Not only has Olivia managed to keep her sense of curiosity and musical daring alive since then but it is the "born improviser's gene" that is the core of her artistic universe as a performer and as a composer. Giving birth to dozens of original songs, Olivia has made her mark on the international jazz scene as a musician with a voice and spirit all her own. With her ability to blend lyrical melodies with rich harmony and rhythmical sophistication she is winning the hearts of both Instrumental and Vocal-Jazz lovers alike.

Olivia, who is classically trained, has been awarded many prizes as a classical pianist and as a jazz pianist and having majored in both, graduated with honours from the University of Music in Stuttgart. With her broad musical spectrum Olivia has earned various awards and scholarships (i.e. National Awards at "Jugend musiziert" 1999-2003, Art Foundation Baden-Württemberg 2010, Bruno-Frey Foundation 2010, Jazz Award Ingolstadt 2014). She currently receives funding from Initiative Musik and Bayer Kultur in Leverkusen as their "stART" Jazz Artist 2013-2016.

Olivia first travelled to New York in 2008 having been awarded a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service. She went to pursue a Master's degree in Jazz Piano at the Manhattan School of Music. Fascinated by that city's unique energy Olivia has continued to cross the Atlantic on a frequent basis, dividing her career between New York and Berlin. Not only did New York inspire her to develop her unique style as a jazz pianist but it also encouraged her to unfold her vocal and song writing talents.

Despite her tender age, Olivia already possesses a remarkable discography of five albums as a bandleader. She was described as “Young, Gifted and German!” following the release of her debut CD, the instrumental Nach Norden in 2006. Olivia went on to produce a second instrumental album Westwind in 2008 and again won much praise from the critics - German Record Critics' Award 2008, five star reviews in Stereoplay Magazine, "CD of the month" at NDR radio and in Rondo Magazine. With the release of Nobody Knows in 2010, Olivia introduced herself to the world as a vocalist and songwriter of English lyrics. Her experimental release Poesiealbum (2011) followed where she blended German lyrics with compositions of generous arcs of suspense and plenty room for improvisation. In 2014, after many trips to NYC and close interaction with the jazz scene there, Olivia continued her recording career with her fifth album: Fly Now was recorded in New York with Matt Penman, Obed Calvaire and special guest Kurt Rosenwinkel. The album is a reflection of Olivia's time spent in the Big Apple and contains nine original songs with English lyrics that expose a very personal view of love, solitude and letting go while poetically mediating between head and heart.

Read more

Tags

1
In Pictures

Olivia Trummer and Nicola Angelucci at the 2019 Val di Fassa Panorama Music Festival

Read "Olivia Trummer and Nicola Angelucci at the 2019 Val di Fassa Panorama Music Festival" reviewed by Danilo Codazzi


Photos from the Olivia Trummer and Nicola Angelucci duo concert at the 2019 Val di Fassa Panorama Music Festival, in Moena, Italy, on August 11th. ...

23
Interview

Olivia Trummer: Threading Gold

Read "Olivia Trummer: Threading Gold" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Singer/pianist and composer Oliva Trummer is spreading her wings. After four albums leading bands, the Stuttgart-born musician is venturing out as a solo artist, with her latest album Fly Now (Contemplate, 2014) garnering positive reviews internationally. Since appearing at 12 Points in 2013 Trummer has played with Jimmy Cobb and supported Charles Lloyd, while her 2014 tour of Ireland and the UK was crowned by a sold-out gig at the EFG London Jazz Festival. If hitherto Trummer has mainly worked ...

18
Album Review

Olivia Trummer: Fly Now

Read "Fly Now" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Singer or pianist? Actually, both hats fit Stuttgart-born Olivia Trummer pretty snugly, as evidenced by her splendid opening slot for Charles Lloyd in Dublin's National Concert Hall in November--alongside bassist David Redmond and drummer Kevin Brady--and her subsequent sell-out show at the EFG London Jazz Festival. Trummer possess a soulful voice of pristine quality and displays a feathery, understated lyricism on the keys; both assets are finely tuned and beautifully balanced on this, her fifth recording as leader.

Read more articles
1

Event

Pianist/singer Olivia Trummer Plays The Cutting Room, New York, 29 January

Pianist/singer Olivia Trummer Plays The Cutting Room, New York,  29 January

Source: All About Jazz

Pianist/singer Olivia Trummer will give New York jazz fans a taste of her unique musical personality and beguiling charms when she plays The Cutting Room at 10 pm on Wednesday, January 29th. The young German leads a trio comprised of drumming legend and former Miles Davis sideman Jimmy Cobb and veteran New York bassist John Webber, who has played with saxophonists Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman and pianist Horace Silver. Trummer has won admirers wherever she has played, earning the ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Fly Now

Contemplate
2014

buy

Poesiealbum

Neuklang Records
2011

buy

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.