Maxime Combarieu is a french jazz pianist and organist from the city of Rouen. He began studying classical piano at the age of 6 with a private teacher. At around the age of 13 he discovered and became interested in jazz while taking lessons in a local music school. At 18, after listening to one of Keith Jarrett’s trio albums, a pianist he greatly admired, he realized that music was all he wanted to do with his life. He therefore decided to drop out of engineering school to devote all of his time to his passion.
He joined the Conservatory of Rouen where he was awarded a ‘DEM’ three years later and was then accepted at the famous violinist Didier Lockwood’s jazz school, where he had the chance to study with musicians such as Benoit Sourisse, Bojan Z, Thomas Enhco, Emmanuel Bex, Baptiste Trotignon (to name only the pianists!) … He graduated from this school in June 2015.
During his young musical career, Maxime has had the opportunity to perform with artists such as Marc Ducret, André Villéger, Fred Loiseau, Stephane Guillaume, Nick Smart, Claude Egea, Jean Jacques Milteau… as well as pursuing many personal projects.
As well as piano playing, Maxime has always been very interested in learning the Hammond organ, an instrument whose many sound possibilities have always fascinated him. Influences include Larry Goldings, Joey Defrancesco, Emmanuel Bex …
Maxime Combarieu 