Born August 31st 1973. Olivier COLLETTE studies solfegio and classical percussion and manifests interest in piano which he studied, taking private lessons. He ends up by discovering jazz and becomes passionate about it. As consequence, he entered the "Jazz Studio", in Antwerp, and studied piano with Diederik WISSELS. He follows with classical piano, with Marie BOULENGER and later on, enters the Brussels conservatory, jazz section. There, he studied with Eric LEGNINI and obtained, at age 23, a 1st price. Between december 98 and february 99, he lived in New-York, where he took lessons with Kenny WERNER and Fred HERSCH while jamming with local musicians and meeting famous musicians like Kenny BARRON or Mac Coy TYNER. After that, he played in Belgium with a.o. Steve HOUBEN. Olivi