One of Europe's pre-eminent soprano saxophonists, Émile Parisien is known for his engaging modern creative jazz and post-bop. Well-versed in both jazz and classical, Parisien's sound fuses such influences as John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and Wynton Marsalis with the work of composers like Hector Berlioz and Arnold Schoenberg. Based in Paris since the early 2000s, he gained attention with albums like 2006's Au Revoir Porc-Épic, 2009's Original Pimpant, and 2012's Chien Guêpe. He garnered acclaim for this work, winning the 2012 Prix Django Reinhardt, taking Artist of the Year at the Victoires du Jazz 2014, and winning a 2017 Echo Jazz award. With the ACT label, Parisien has explored a variety of settings, from duets with French accordionist Vincent Peirani, as on 2014's Belle Époque, to quintet albums like 2016's Sfumato with German pianist Joachim Kühn to 2022's Louise, featuring his sextet with trumpeter Theo Croker.

Born in 1982 in Cahors, Lot, France, Parisien started playing saxophone at a young age. He became interested in jazz and by age 11 was studying at Marciac's College de Jazz, where was mentored by such luminaries as Guy Lafitte, Pierre Boussaguet, and Christian Salut. He eventually enrolled at the Conservatoire de Toulouse and majored in classical and contemporary music. Performance opportunities followed, including appearances at the famed Jazz in Marciac festival with performers like Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Hutcherson, and Christian McBride, among others.

In 2000, Parisien relocated full-time to Paris, where began leading his own Éphémère Quartet, with whom he recorded his debut album, Famimra. Accolades followed, including being named Talent Jazz of the Fonds d'Action SACEM three years in a row. Out of this, he recorded a handful of albums for the Laborie label, including 2006's Au Revoir Porc-Épic, 2009's Original Pimpant, and 2012's Chien Guêpe. During this period, he took home more accolades, including winning the 2012 Prix Django Reinhardt and taking Artist of the Year at the Victoires du Jazz 2014.

Signing with the ACT label, Parisien released more highly regarded albums, beginning with 2014's Spezial Snack with his quartet. That same year, he paired with French accordionist Vincent Peirani for Belle Époque. A quintet album featuring German pianist Joachim Kühn, Sfumato, arrived in 2016. The following year, Parisien won International Instrumentalist at the Echo Jazz awards and returned in 2019 with the quartet album Double Screening. Another collaboration with Peirani, Abrazo, appeared in 2020. In 2022, Parisien released Louise, which featured his globally minded sextet with Italian-born, France-based pianist Roberto Negro, French guitarist Manu Codjia, and three Americans, trumpeter Theo Croker, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Nasheet Waits. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi