The term of our Franco-Belgian saxophonist duo came to an end this summer. We would like to once again thank Bo van der Werf and Léa Ciechelski for their dedication, inventiveness, and commitment. Over the past two years, we have showcased their respective projects (Octurn, Franges, Prospectus, Big Fish, Meije, the duo with Jozef Dumoulin…), created a joint quintet (Home Orchestra), collaborated on numerous cultural initiatives, and, finally, organized a charity concert for the SOS MÉDITERRANÉE association. They now pass the baton to Bruno Ruder.
An eclectic and unclassifiable pianist, Bruno Ruder holds a unique place in the French jazz landscape. Since graduating from the Paris Conservatoire (CNSM) in 2003—awarded with a first prize in piano—he has steadily forged his own path, outside conventional frameworks, blending tradition and avant-garde, acoustic jazz and electric experimentation. Today, he is recognized as one of the most inventive musicians of his generation, both for the richness of his musical language and the freedom of his artistic choices.
In the early 2000s, he co-founded the trio Yes is a pleasant country with saxophonist Vincent Lê Quang and vocalist Jeanne Added, laying the groundwork for an open musical aesthetic shaped by poetry, sonic impressionism, and subtle interplay. He quickly became a sought-after collaborator, performing alongside major figures such as Riccardo Del Fra, Joey Baron, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Liebman, and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
But Bruno Ruder refuses to be confined to any one style: from 2008 to 2011, he joined the legendary progressive rock band Magma, recording several albums and taking part in their 50th anniversary celebration at the Philharmonie de Paris. He has continued his electric ventures with projects such as One Shot, Radiation 10, and the ONJ (National Jazz Orchestra) under the direction of Frédéric Maurin, where he plays both piano and Fender Rhodes.
It is in his solo work that his artistic expression becomes most intimate. With Lisières (2014), followed by Anomalies (2022), he has built a subtle and profound body of work, exploring the boundaries between composition and improvisation, silence, ellipsis, and divergence. Recorded live, Anomalies captures a rare sense of risk-taking and a stripped-back artistry reminiscent of Paul Bley and Ran Blake. This album earned him recognition as one of the top three French jazz pianists of the year in 2023 and 2024, according to Jazz Magazine and Jazz News.
An eclectic and unclassifiable pianist, Bruno Ruder holds a unique place in the French jazz landscape. Since graduating from the Paris Conservatoire (CNSM) in 2003—awarded with a first prize in piano—he has steadily forged his own path, outside conventional frameworks, blending tradition and avant-garde, acoustic jazz and electric experimentation. Today, he is recognized as one of the most inventive musicians of his generation, both for the richness of his musical language and the freedom of his artistic choices.
In the early 2000s, he co-founded the trio Yes is a pleasant country with saxophonist Vincent Lê Quang and vocalist Jeanne Added, laying the groundwork for an open musical aesthetic shaped by poetry, sonic impressionism, and subtle interplay. He quickly became a sought-after collaborator, performing alongside major figures such as Riccardo Del Fra, Joey Baron, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Liebman, and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
But Bruno Ruder refuses to be confined to any one style: from 2008 to 2011, he joined the legendary progressive rock band Magma, recording several albums and taking part in their 50th anniversary celebration at the Philharmonie de Paris. He has continued his electric ventures with projects such as One Shot, Radiation 10, and the ONJ (National Jazz Orchestra) under the direction of Frédéric Maurin, where he plays both piano and Fender Rhodes.
It is in his solo work that his artistic expression becomes most intimate. With Lisières (2014), followed by Anomalies (2022), he has built a subtle and profound body of work, exploring the boundaries between composition and improvisation, silence, ellipsis, and divergence. Recorded live, Anomalies captures a rare sense of risk-taking and a stripped-back artistry reminiscent of Paul Bley and Ran Blake. This album earned him recognition as one of the top three French jazz pianists of the year in 2023 and 2024, according to Jazz Magazine and Jazz News.
A discreet yet essential artist, Bruno Ruder champions a sensitive and demanding vision of music—an aesthetic of nuance, trembling, and unpredictability. A pianist of both shadow and light, he embodies a deeply contemporary musical freedom, where beauty often arises from fragility and the unexpected.
