Géraldine Laurent

Born in 1975, Géraldine LAURENT began her musical studies with classical piano and took up the alto saxophone at the age of 13, at the conservatory in her native Niort. She then went on to study jazz with Robert Boillot and pianist Floris Nico Bunik, obtaining a DEM and a Deug in musicology at the University of Poitiers.
In 1999 Géraldine moved to Paris and began performing under her own name and in various groups with Charles Bellonzi, Christophe Joneau, Antoine Hervier etc... She also takes part in contemporary dance projects (in 2003-2004 with the "Ballets Atlantiques Régine Chopinot" company).
In 2005, Géraldine founded the Time Out Trio with Yoni-Zelnik (double bass) and Laurent Bataille (drums). Acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, the group performs at numerous festivals in France (Juan-les-Pins, Vienne, Marciac, Coutances etc.) and abroad (Winter Jazz Festival New York, Yokohama, Beijing Jazz Festival etc.). She is also invited on various occasions by musicians on the French jazz scene (Philippe Catherine, Ricardo Del Fra, Emmanuel Bex, Rhoda Scott...).
In 2008, Géraldine Laurent joined the Dreyfus Jazz label (Sony BMG), releasing her first album, "Time Out Trio", followed by a quartet with drummer Aldo Romano: "Just Jazz" with Henri Texier Mauro Negri. She also plays alongside numerous musicians: Terez Montcalm , Laurent De Wilde , Christian Escoudé , Emmanuel Bex , Pierre de Bethmann ,Pierre Christophe, Anne Paceo, Alain Jean-Marie.…
In 2010, she released her second album "Around Gigi" (still with Dreyfus Jazz), as well as Aldo Romano's album with Henri Texier and Fabrizio Bosso "Complete communion to Don Cherry". Since 2011, she has also participated in albums by drummer Jacques Mahieux , pianists Antoine Hervier , Mico Nissim…
In 2013 she recorded "Looking for Parker" with the Codjia Laurent Marguet trio, and is always invited to share the stage with numerous musicians (Aldo Romano, Henri Texier, Médéric Collignon, Pierrick Pedron, Anne Pacéo, Ira Coleman ,Billy Drummond ,Laurent de Wilde, Airelle Besson etc...).
In 2015 she recorded her third opus as leader: "At Work" (Gazebo/l'autre distribution) with Paul Lay on piano, Donald Kontomanou on drums and Yoni Zelnik on double bass,. The album was released in autumn 2015 and received the Grand Prix du Jazz from the Académie Charles Cros and the Prix du Disque Français from the Académie du Jazz. In 2016 Géraldine Laurent took part in Terez Montcalm's album "Quand on s'aime", with whom she plays regularly. She records and tours with the "la chose commune" project with Emmanuel Bex/David lescot/Elise Caron /Simon Goubert/Mike Ladd.
Since 2017, she continues to perform with her quartet "At Work" , she is invited to play with Rhoda Scott (within her Quartet and All Stars), René Urtreger and the writer Agnès Desarthe (with whom she records the disc "Premier Rendez vous" ( released in 2017) .She recorded with guitarist Fabio Zeppetella's Quartet the album "Chanson" ( Emmanuel bex and Roberto Gatto ) . In 2018 , she took part in the recording of Sophia Domancich's quintet album "Alice's Evidence" ( Futura jazz label ) with Ray Anderson, Hélène Labarrière and Nasheet Waits, while continuing to be invited to share the jazz stage with numerous musicians (François and Louis Moutin, Mike Stern, Daniel Humair, Mino Cinelu, Thomas de Pourquery, Lenny White , Antonio Farao, Joe Lovano....) .She also takes part in improvised readings with actors and writers, notably François Marthouret , Noëlle Châtelet …
In 2019 she recorded her latest opus " Cooking " ( with Paul Lay/Yoni Zelnik/Donald Kontomanou ) . The record, released in October 2019, produced by Laurent De Wilde (Label Gazebo/l'autre distribution) is Laureate "Album of the Year" at the Victoires du Jazz 2020 . That same year, she took part in the recording of double bassist Yves Rousseau's "Fragments" album, and in 2021 in organist Rhoda Scott's "Lady All Stars" album. In 2022, she was a guest on pianist Leila Olivesi's "Astral" album, as well as on the "Joy" album by "l'autre Big Bang'".
In 2023, she won a double award at the Victoires du Jazz, in the "Artist of the Year" category and in the "Concert" category with her "cooking" quartet.