For over 10 years Olivier Clements has established himself as one of Canada’s least known trumpet players. In spite of his underwhelming presence, Clements has worked as a composer, arranger, and trumpet/flugelhorn performer with acclaimed artists from coast to coast.
“Dogs For Emma” is Clements’ newest album and is a deep dive into the fringes of jazz, indie/folk and electronic infused sounds. Eluding any clear categorization, his layers of horns, synths, and delicate melodies skirt the outer edges of many seemingly disparate genres. The album features Olivier Clements on horns, synths, piano and bass alongside Austin Tufts (from the acclaimed band Braids) on drums.
“Clements blends jazz music with a dreamy contemporary “indiefolk” style (...) for an incredibly accessible fusion.”
After an eight year hiatus from recording and performing his own music and on the brink of quitting music altogether, Clements was offered an opportunity to record at SSDP studios. Spending a week alone in a cabin with a trumpet, a keyboard and an eight track recorder, Clements had written and recorded enough demos to create an album. A winter refining the demos at home, a spring re-recording the horns and drums, and a summer of mixing and mastering led to the completion of “Dogs For Emma”. The album was released online in January 2022.
Olivier Clements has collaborated as a trumpet/flugelhorn player and horn arranger with artists such as Dan Mangan, Louis-Jean Cormier, Said the Whale, Jennah Barry, Towers and Trees, Layten Kramer and Teagan Johnston. Clements has also worked extensively with Aidan Knight composing, recording, and performing flugelhorn, synths and Wurlitzer. Clements had a key role with the albums “Versicolour” (2010), “Friendly Fires EP” (2010), “Small Reveal” (2012), and “Each Other” (2016).
“Olivier Clements’ work on the trumpet was captivating. His drawn out notes were haunting and beautiful.”
Olivier Clements has often shared the stage with his father, saxophone and clarinet performer and educator Gord Clements. In 2020, they worked together to release “Passages”, a modern jazz album featuring original music from both father and son.
Olivier Clements is now based in Whitehorse, Yukon and shares his time between making music and working as a professional hiking guide. Olivier Clements has led youth and adults of all ages through the rugged coastal trails of Vancouver Island, and the high alpine mountains of the Yukon.