Tour'n'sol Prod.
New album ‘Howling Silences’ on 11/07/2025 on Edition Records.
Marking a turning point in her artistic career, Howling Silence, the new album by Russian and Parisian jazz saxophonist Olga Amelchenko, embodies the emotional depths of her personal challenges, combining virtuoso performances with breathtaking interaction.
Born in Russia, shaped by years in Germany, and now immersed in the Paris jazz scene, Olga finds her voice. She draws on her rich background to create music imbued with both resilience and passion. Inspired by masters such as Coltrane, Henderson and Turner, her saxophone becomes deeply intimate and resonant. At the centre of the album, her sound anchors the emotional landscape. Around it, a subtle interplay between acoustic and electric textures slowly takes shape. Supported by piano, bass and drums, this dialogue weaves a dense and expressive emotional fabric.
She is surrounded by loyal collaborators: drummer Jesus Vega, bassist Etienne Renard, pianist Enzo Carniel, and guest guitarist Matthew Stevens. Olga’s creative process combines spontaneity and rigour, each short, precise track telling a fragment of a larger story – between struggle, hope and rebirth.
From the masterful opening of Howling Silence to the reflective passages of Walking Shadows, the listener is drawn in. Then, through the cathartic build-up of Irreversible, the album reflects an odyssey marked by both personal and collective challenges. Indeed, Howling Silence is a transformative album. It is a record that gives voice to unspoken truths, while also inviting the audience to reflect on the interplay between silence and expression.
‘This album explores the space between the desire to express oneself and the weight of silence. How much can you say? How much do you retain? This tension is at the heart of this music. This tension is at the heart of this music… I wanted the sound of the saxophone to be raw, direct – no gloss, no artificial space, just the music as it is. Being a musician means constantly redefining your home. Berlin shaped me, Paris welcomed me, but my music will always bear the mark of my origins.’ – Olga Amelchenko
Olga Amelchenko, born in Russia in 1988, began her musical career at a very early age, taking up choral singing, piano and dombra. She first studied choral conducting at Abakan before turning to jazz saxophone, which she studied in Novosibirsk, and then classical saxophone at the Conservatoire. Moving to Germany in 2012, she studied in Cologne and then Berlin, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in jazz performance (2018) and a Master’s degree in composition (2019). Since then, based in Paris, she has established herself on the jazz scene, leading her quartet and the HELICON project. She has released three albums: Shaping Motions (2018), Live at Loft (2020) and Slaying the Dream (2023).
Olga Amelchenko - alto saxophone, compositions
Enzo Carniel - piano
Etienne Renard - double bass
Jesus Vega - drums
+ guest : Matthew Stevens - guitar
Louis-Julien Nicolaou – Télérama
‘Olga Amelchenko stands out for the purity of her sound on the alto saxophone, the depth of her compositions and her total indifference to vulgarity.’
France Musique
‘Olga Amelchenko’s lively, spirited saxophone is a quiet force with a persistent sound.’
M-Essonne
‘Olga Amelchenko’s compositional approach goes beyond simply superimposing music on poetry. She meticulously analyses the form and rhythm of each poem before creating melodies, harmonies and rhythmic patterns that reflect the unique qualities of the texts. This complex work results in a fusion where words and music intertwine, allowing contrasts and continuities to coexist harmoniously.’
Le Baiser Salé, Le Duc des Lombards, Le 360, La Petite Halle, Le 38riv, Jazz Club CMDL, Eaubonne Jazz, Colmar Jazz Festival, Jazz en Sol Mineur, Maison de la Radio, Le Solar, Roll'Studio, Oslon Jazz, X Jazz Festival, Grey Cat Jazz Festival, Elings Jazz & Olbar, Bird's Eye, Jazz Station.
