Photo by Flore de Ris

Valérie Lacombe

New Album avaialble April 17, 2026

"The music on Valérie Lacombe’s debut recording is fresh, vital, warm, and open. Employing two distinctive, personal-toned saxophonists – Camille Thurman on tenor and Caoilainn Power on alto, who blend deliciously – and the veteran bass ace Ira Coleman, the deftly-animated drummer-leader offers a beguiling assortment of originals, plus Benny Golson’s classic, “Out of the Past.” These offerings are packed with feeling, fullness, and groove, resulting in persuasive performances that entice and intrigue."

- Zan Stewart, Veteran award-winning jazz journalist

Valérie is a Montreal-based jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer whose work centers on original music for chordless quartet. Her debut album, State of Garden and Shadow, will be released on April 17th, 2026 and features Camille Thurman on tenor saxophone, Caoilainn Power on alto saxophone, and Ira Coleman on bass.

In 2026, she was selected for a residency at the Tribeca Jazz Institute in New York City, where she
studied with Kenny Washington, Chris Byars, Eric Alexander, Harry Allen, Grant Stewart, Greg
Ruggiero, and other leading figures of the New York jazz scene.

Valerie holds a Master of Music in Jazz Performance from McGill University (2024), where she studied with Darrell Green and Kevin Dean.

She is also a member of The Ostara Project, a Canadian collective featuring a rotating cast of
award-winning women musicians, with whom she has toured extensively across Canada, including the Yukon Territory.