French pianist, composer and bandleader the Normandy born Leïla Olivesi has been announced as the winner of the French Academy of Jazz award the prix Django Reinhardt - a Django event held at Paris venue Pan Piper as reported by Radio France over the weekend. Of Mauritanian, Corsican and Moroccan lineage Olivesi's album Astral (ACEL) released last November is partially themed around the poetry of Lucie Taïeb and includes a version of Mary Lou Williams' 'Scorpio.' Leïla Olivesi, photo: detail from the Astral cover art.

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• L'académie du jazz website