BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1994 in St-Raphaël (France),

Théo Zipper is a jazz musician, bassist and composer.

Son of an architect father and a painter mother, shape and movement have always been a fascination for him.

Théo Zipper grows up in the south of France, where he begins his musical career. First attracted by rock and funk music, he discovers jazz and, when he's 16, he quits studies to join a professional jazz school (IMFP).

Already in a composition research, he will there meet great music teachers (Francesco Castellani, Gerard Maurin, Lilian Bencini, Michel Zenino...) who will suggest him different ways to explore, and the importance of immersing himself in the practice of art. After 3 years of studies, he graduated IMFP.

He took lessons from Richard Bona, Laurent Coq, and Gilles Coquard and also performing in big ensemble concerts with

Vincent Laffont (ONJ), and Louis Winsberg. The end of this period is marked by a jam-session with Didier Lockwood and Mike Stern.

In 2013, he leaves South of France to settle in Brussels to try to soak the energy of this dynamic city. Admitted at the Royal Conservatory, he stays there for a few weeks, where he takes classes with Benoît Vandersraaten.

Motivated by the idea of playing around his own compositions, meeting the three essential Max Fortin, Yannick Jacquet and Lucas Vanderputten is enough to give life to this music.

Quickly, things work out and the Théo Zipper Quartet records his first album "FAITH".

Fully composed and produced by Théo Zipper but driven by a band spirit, between composition and improvisation the only real approach is to "play in the instant, look for the vibration, be true".

In the beginning of 2017, after two years of promoting that first album in numerous venues in Brussels (Jazz Station, Theatre Marni, Bravo, Sounds Jazz Club, The Music Village, Main stage on the Grand'Place...) and Belgium and France: Anvers, Liège, Festival Jazz en Baie, Marseille. The band goes back to the studio to work on a new record: "GORILLA". To be released that year, the "new" quintet put on the frontline the soulful trumpet-flugelhorn player: Aristide d'Agostino and the electrified Abel Jednak on Alto Saxophone.

Awards & Prizes
Journées Musicales de Carthage 2019 (w/ ALEPH)
Tanit d'Argent - 2nd Prize

Dar Eyquem Prize
Brussels Jazz Marathon 2016

1st Prize - Best Band
Public Prize