OUI073: Laurence Cousseau Quintet / Les Groseilles de Novembre
Les Groseilles de Novembre, the debut album of the quintet, is framed within an aesthetic of magical realism, at the boundary between the tangible and the dreamlike. Inspired by the eponymous book by Andrus Kivirähk, the project explores themes of transition and memory, inscribed in bodies, landscapes, and traditions. The quintet draws from these in-between spaces a narrative material full of poetry, which structures forms, improvisation, rhythms, and sonic textures.
The group’s distinctive sound notably relies on the combination of alto flute and bass clarinet. Jazz energy (Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus) meets colors of modern music (Olivier Messiaen) and language from contemporary jazz (Magic Malik, Pierre Van Dormael, Bo Van der Werf). The result is a sonic experience where tension and release, mystery and playfulness, fragility and raw beauty converge.
Luis Miguel Aguilar: bass clarinet
Joseph Nowell: piano, FX
Emanuel Van Mieghem: double bass
Pierre Ferrand: drums
Laurence Cousseau:
Trained in jazz from childhood on the drums (Collège de Marciac, France), Laurence Cousseau first pursued a scientific path, earning a doctorate on the social behavior of birds. Discovering the alto flute at 24 marked a decisive turning point, leading her to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in 2023 and presented her final master recital with the highest distinction in 2025.
Her musical universe sits at the crossroads of jazz and contemporary languages, explored within ensembles where diverse colors and musical traditions meet. In 2024, she founded a quintet around her own compositions, alongside Luis Miguel Aguilar, Joseph Nowell, Emanuel Van Mieghem, and Pierre Ferrand.
Active on the Belgian scene, she regularly performs in clubs and at festivals such as the Brussels Jazz Weekend, and internationally, including a 2026 tour in Réunion with the group Nacelle, presenting a repertoire blending spiritual jazz and local influences.
Her dual artistic and scientific background also fuels an interdisciplinary research project on the links between musical improvisation and social organization in animals.
Joseph Nowell:
Born in England in 1994, half Italian. He started playing piano when he was 4 and studied at Pimlico Academy, London, with trips and concerts in Paris and Prague. At the age of 14 he moved to Siena (Italy), winning the third prize in the “G. Burrini” classical music competition a year later. I followed studying jazz at various places and with various teachers, participating in a lot of workshops.
He is the leader of a trio which has released an album on Off.
Emanuel Van Mieghem:
Double bass, Composer, Music Teacher born in Brussels (Belgium) on January 6, 1994, Emanuel Van Mieghem started playing the bass at the age of 15.
Emanuel has become a highly in demand double bass player in the jazz and avant-garde music scene of Brussels. He collaborates with a new generation of talented musicians such as Roeland Celis, Umberto Odone, Diogo Alexandre, Hyiung Jin Ee, Nicolas Van Belle, Joseph Nowell, Gaspard Six, Stan Maris, Yarno Hoedemakers, and many more.
He has also performed with established musicians such as Erik Vermeulen, Frans Van Isacker, Erik Bogaerts, Toine Thys, Daniel Stokart, Lieven Venken, and Free Desmyter.
He has released an album on Off with his band Mojo Jojo.
Pierre Ferrand:
Pierre is a drummer and percussionist based in Brussels. He first studied at the Conservatory of Chambéry, then in Lyon, and completed a Master’s degree in Brussels under the guidance of Stéphane Galland. He now performs in the world of jazz and its many related genres.
Luis Miguel Aguilar:
He is engaged with a wide range of musical languages and traditions, cultivating versatility and a cross-disciplinary approach. Initially trained as a classical musician, he performed with the Youth Orchestra of Andalusia, the Barenboim-Said Academy, and the European Union Youth Wind Orchestra. Today, he is involved in various bands.
Digital and physical release on the 8th of May 2026.
Track listing:
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