11.12.2012 Views

Attica Blues Big Band, the project - Planete-Aurora

Attica Blues Big Band, the project - Planete-Aurora

Attica Blues Big Band, the project - Planete-Aurora

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

A t t i c a B l u e s<br />

B i g B a n d<br />

a c o p r o d u c t i o n A r c h i e b a l l - J a z z à P o r q u e r o l l e s - C N D C C h â t e a u v a l l o n<br />

F e s t i v a l J a z z à L a V i l l e t t e<br />

b o o k i n g A r n a u d G r a n e t ( P l a n e t e A u r o r a ) : a r n a u d @ p l a n e t e - a u r o r a . f r<br />

T e l : 0 0 3 3 6 6 6 8 2 6 3 7 7


sommaire<br />

<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Big</strong> band, <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong><br />

Agenda & Line up<br />

Archie Shepp<br />

Artists (main musicians)<br />

2 - 4<br />

5<br />

6<br />

7- 14<br />

1


<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong>, <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong><br />

40 years after Impulse released <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong>, true manifesto of <strong>the</strong> Great Black Music, and<br />

for Archie Shepp 75th birthday, we - Archieball, Jazz à Porquerolles, and Châteauvallon<br />

national centre of creation - want to revisit this monument of Jazz history along with <strong>the</strong><br />

new generation of musicians : composed by a intimate team near by Archie Shepp, classical<br />

African American jazzmen and new comers, followed by <strong>the</strong> finest young jazzmen and<br />

jazz-women of <strong>the</strong> south west, <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong> writes <strong>the</strong> story of contemporary jazz<br />

music, somewhere between historical jazz and modern and inventive streams.<br />

For Jazz in Porquerolles,<br />

it’s also about going fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />

and deeper into partnerships<br />

that have already<br />

started with musicians such<br />

as Raphaël Imbert, Marion<br />

Rampal, met during <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

appearances at <strong>the</strong> Jazz in<br />

Porquerolles young musicians<br />

contests. To some extent,<br />

<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong><br />

in a unique experience of<br />

sharing and an opportunity<br />

for young musicians<br />

to be confronted with <strong>the</strong><br />

shinning sources of jazz<br />

history.<br />

Why <strong>the</strong> location of Châteauvallon ? As a historical hosting place of free jazz, as a pioneer<br />

in <strong>the</strong> concept of « jazz music festival «, as one of <strong>the</strong> most dynamic concert hall of Archi<br />

Sheep in <strong>the</strong> early 70’s, Châteauvallon <strong>the</strong>atre is naturally <strong>the</strong> ideal centre of creation for<br />

<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong>.<br />

Archieball is <strong>the</strong> «home» of Archie Shepp : a label (distributed by Harmonia Mundi) and<br />

an artistic company, created in France eight years ago. Archieball is, judging by his skills<br />

in producing disks and his broadcasting network, <strong>the</strong> ideal co-producer for this <strong>project</strong>.<br />

2


<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong>, <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong><br />

<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong>, born in 1971, is on <strong>the</strong> one hand a <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong> in it’s fourth incarnation, and on<br />

<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand a music collection that has been accumulated for years.<br />

The artwork of Archie Shepp is at a crossroad, a meeting point between politic and art, where<br />

Black Musics meet <strong>the</strong>ir «sophisticated» cousins and descendants - a gap that <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong><br />

overcomes. It’s a collision between all <strong>the</strong> rhythms, <strong>the</strong> swings and <strong>the</strong> grooves of <strong>the</strong> Great<br />

Black Music through <strong>the</strong> years.<br />

It’s an expression of <strong>the</strong> black identity, political and artistic, that never stopped and has been<br />

reinvented all along it’s history. Giving birth again to this <strong>project</strong> in Europe makes sens<br />

because it’s still really modern. Because <strong>the</strong> fight and <strong>the</strong> music of blacks deeply influenced<br />

world culture, and because it has been led since it’s creation by a musician and an activist,<br />

who was situated precisely at this crossroad, all along it’s 55 years old career.<br />

Archie Shepp embodies in a unique and powerful way <strong>the</strong> African-American experience. His<br />

music, his songs, his voice, and even <strong>the</strong> way he walks are representative of <strong>Blues</strong> music. He<br />

was born in a time of segregation, in <strong>the</strong> black ghetto of Fort Lauderdale, a short time after<br />

Rubin Stacey was beaten to death because he was black. He witnessed <strong>the</strong> Civil Right movement,<br />

<strong>the</strong> Black Power - and got actively involved in New York at <strong>the</strong> age of twenty - <strong>the</strong><br />

revolutions, <strong>the</strong> repressions and <strong>the</strong> deceptions.<br />

He is one of <strong>the</strong> leaders of Free Jazz, a very radical music because it is close to <strong>the</strong> roots of<br />

black music and is influenced by it’s history, ( collective improvisation, commitment, narrative<br />

dimension, folk form, souvenirs of <strong>the</strong> African past...) and at <strong>the</strong> same time deeply new,<br />

even revolutionary.<br />

On September 13th 1971, <strong>the</strong> state governor of New York, Nemson Rockefeller, put and<br />

end to <strong>the</strong> negotiations with <strong>the</strong> mutinies of <strong>Attica</strong> Detention Centre and decided to take it<br />

by force. It turned out that 9 out of 10 hostages got killed by <strong>the</strong> police. During weeks after<br />

<strong>the</strong> uprising, <strong>the</strong> guardians, all white, got revenge - humiliations, tortures - on <strong>the</strong> prisoners.<br />

60% of <strong>the</strong>m were black. The prison authorities knew and didn’t do anything to stop it.<br />

As a reaction, a short time after, Archie Shepp composed and recorded <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong>. This<br />

music is a patchwork of spiritual music, blues music, ellingtonian orchestrations or funk. The<br />

whole <strong>project</strong> in also influenced by free music... From anger to joy, from sadness to hope ...<br />

It is deeply one.<br />

Beyond <strong>the</strong>ir diversity, it expresses <strong>the</strong> unity of <strong>the</strong> African Americans, <strong>the</strong>ir history, <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

aes<strong>the</strong>tic creations and political ideas. In 1979, during a concert to be remembered at <strong>the</strong><br />

Palais des Glaces, that was recorded live, Archi Sheep set <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong> up again and<br />

added new tracks, always aiming at <strong>the</strong> same goal.<br />

3


<strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong>, <strong>the</strong> <strong>project</strong><br />

Since <strong>the</strong>n, Shepp never stopped working on <strong>the</strong> African American heritage, more particularly<br />

those last few years with rap musicians (Chuck D from Public Enemy, Napoleon Maddox,<br />

Rocé) continuing <strong>the</strong> story with <strong>the</strong> last born of <strong>the</strong> popular black music stream.<br />

Following that pattern, <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong>, won’t lose it’s identity, deeply black and American, and<br />

is opened to new compositions and to a new generation of musicians. As a matter of fact, to<br />

a whole continent of musicians.<br />

All along <strong>the</strong> 20th century up to today, <strong>the</strong> influence of black culture has never stopped<br />

spreading. There is very few modern musics that are not influenced by it. The struggle for<br />

freedom of <strong>the</strong> African Americans was an example to <strong>the</strong> world.<br />

The strong link between «avant-garde» and popularity, that makes that culture so dynamic,<br />

has inspired many artistic movements. Those movements found <strong>the</strong>ir strength and <strong>the</strong>ir roots<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Brut. This simple listing aims at explaining <strong>the</strong> universal goal of <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong>. And<br />

creating this new group, as a melting pot of generations and cultures makes sens : it’s <strong>the</strong><br />

reflection of <strong>the</strong> universal.<br />

Martin Sarrazac<br />

4


Agenda & Line up<br />

Line up<br />

Twenty six musicians are in <strong>the</strong> band :<br />

Archie Shepp Sax/vocal<br />

Jimmy Owens conductor<br />

Amina Claudine Myers choir/piano<br />

Tom McClung piano<br />

Marion Rampal choir<br />

Cécile McLorin Salvant choir<br />

Ambrose Akinmusire trumpet<br />

Izidor Leitinger trumpet<br />

Christophe Leloil trumpet<br />

Olivier Miconi trumpet<br />

Sébastien Llado trombone<br />

Michael Ballue trombone<br />

Simon Sieger trombone<br />

Romain Morello trombone<br />

Darryl Hall bass<br />

Francois Théberge sax tenor<br />

Virgile Lefebvre sax tenor<br />

Raphaël Imbert sax alto<br />

Olivier Chaussade sax alto<br />

Jean Philippe Scali sax baryton<br />

Famoudou Don Moye drums<br />

Louise Rosbach cello<br />

Antoine Carlier alto<br />

Steve Duong violin<br />

Manon Tenoudji violin<br />

Pierre Durand guitar<br />

Agenda<br />

- June 18th -22nd 2012 - Creation - CNCDC Châteauvallon<br />

- September 9th 2012 - Concert in Jazz à la Villette Festival<br />

- May 2013 - album live release - Archie Shepp <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Big</strong> band<br />

-Spring - Summer 2013 European Tour<br />

5


Archie Shepp<br />

Saxophone player, composer, pianist, singer, politically committed poet, playwright,<br />

Archie Shepp is a legend.<br />

Archie Shepp was born in 1937 in Fort Lauderdale in Florida. He grew up in Philadelphia,<br />

studied piano and saxophone and attended high school in Germantown ; he<br />

went to college, became involved with <strong>the</strong>atre , met writers and poets, among <strong>the</strong>m,<br />

Leroy Jones and wrote : « The Communist », an allegorical play about <strong>the</strong> situation<br />

of black Americans . In <strong>the</strong> late fifties, Archie Shepp also met <strong>the</strong> most radical musicians<br />

of <strong>the</strong> time : Lee Morgan, Bobby Timmons, Jimmy Garrisson, Ted Curson,<br />

Beaver Harris… his political consciousness found an expression in plays and <strong>the</strong>atrical<br />

productions which barely allowed him to make a living. In <strong>the</strong> beginning sixties he<br />

met Cecil Taylor and did two recordings with him which were determining. In 1962<br />

he signed his first record with Bill Dixon as co-leader. During <strong>the</strong> following year, he<br />

created <strong>the</strong> New York Contemporary Five with John Tchichai, made four records for<br />

Fontana, Storyville and Savoy and travelled to Europe with this group.<br />

Starting in August 1964, he worked with Impulse and made 17 records among which, Four For Trane, Fire<br />

Music, and Mama Too Tight, some of <strong>the</strong> classics of Free Music. His collaboration with John Coltrane materialized<br />

fur<strong>the</strong>r with Ascension in 1965, a real turning point in Avant-Garde music. His militancy was evidenced<br />

by his participation in <strong>the</strong> creation of <strong>the</strong> Composers Guild with Paul and Carla Bley , Sun RA, Roswell Rudd<br />

and Cecil Taylor.<br />

In July 1969 he went for <strong>the</strong> first time to Africa for <strong>the</strong> Pan African Festival in Algiers where many black American<br />

militants were living. On this occasion he recorded Live for Byg <strong>the</strong> first of six albums in <strong>the</strong> Actual series.<br />

In 1969 he began teaching Ethnomusicology at <strong>the</strong> University of Amherst, Massachusetts; at <strong>the</strong> same time he<br />

continued to travel around <strong>the</strong> world while continuing to express his identity as an African American musician.<br />

The dictionary of Jazz (Robert Laffont, Bouquins) defines him in <strong>the</strong> following way : « A first rate artist and<br />

intellectual, Archie Shepp has been at <strong>the</strong> head of <strong>the</strong> Avant- Garde Free Jazz movement and has been able to<br />

join <strong>the</strong> mainstream of Jazz, while remaining true to his es<strong>the</strong>tic . He has developed a true poli-instrumentality:<br />

an alto player, he also plays soprano since 1969, piano since 1975 and more recently occasionally sings blues<br />

and standards. »<br />

He populates his musical world with <strong>the</strong>mes and stylistic elements provided by <strong>the</strong> greatest voices of jazz: from<br />

Ellington to Monk and Mingus, from Parker to Siver and Taylor. His technical and emotional capacity enables<br />

him to integrate <strong>the</strong> varied elements inherited by <strong>the</strong> Masters of Tenor from Webster to Coltrane into his<br />

own playing but according to his very own combination : <strong>the</strong> wild raspiness of his attacks, his massive sound<br />

sculpted by a vibrato mastered in all ranges, his phrases carried to breathlessness, his abrupt level changes , <strong>the</strong><br />

intensity of his tempos but also <strong>the</strong> velvety tenderness woven into a ballad. His play consistently deepens <strong>the</strong><br />

spirit of <strong>the</strong> two faces of <strong>the</strong> original black American music: blues and spirituals. His work with classics and<br />

with his own compositions (Bessie Smith’s Black Water <strong>Blues</strong> or Mama Rose) contributes to maintaining alive<br />

<strong>the</strong> power of strangeness of <strong>the</strong>se two musics in relationship to European music and expresses itself in a unique<br />

mix of wounded violence and age-old nostalgia.<br />

The scope of his work which registered in <strong>the</strong> eighties a certain urgency (at <strong>the</strong>cost of a few discrepancies) is a<br />

witness to <strong>the</strong> fact that in 1988 Archie Shepp was with Sonny Rollins one of <strong>the</strong> best interpreters in <strong>the</strong> babelian<br />

history of jazz.<br />

With his freedom loving sensitivity Archie Shepp has made an inestimable contribution to <strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>ring, <strong>the</strong><br />

publicizing and <strong>the</strong> inventing of jazz.<br />

6


The Artists<br />

Tom Mc Clung<br />

http://www.tommcclung.com/<br />

Amina Claudine Myers<br />

http://www.myspace.com/aminaclaudinemyers<br />

Pianist, Organist, Vocalist, Composer, Actress and Educator has proven herself adept i<br />

<strong>the</strong> creative musical arts. She is well known for her works involving voice choirs, voice<br />

and instrumental ensembles and performances in any combination of formations. Ms.<br />

Myers career in music began in her pre-teens assisting in chruch choirs as vocalist,<br />

piano/organist and later serving as choir director in her home state of Arkansas. She<br />

studied concert music at Philander College in Little Rock, completing her studies with<br />

Bachelor of Arts degree in music education.After moving to Chicago in <strong>the</strong> 1960´s Ms<br />

Myers taught in <strong>the</strong> public school system <strong>the</strong>re for six years, attended Roosevelt<br />

University and became a member of <strong>the</strong> AACM in 1966. In Chicago she first began<br />

composing music for voice and in 1975 organized her very first choir. Since 1976 Ms.<br />

Myers has resided in New York city where her career has become even more multifacet<br />

She has moved into <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>ater realm, writing pieces for this medium, acting and<br />

composing music for a number of off boardway productions. Ms. Myers has recorded<br />

and/or performed with Archie Shepp, Charlie Haden´s Liberation Orchestra, James<br />

Blood Ulmer, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Muhal Richard Abrams, Lester Bowie and<br />

Bill Laswell. She has currently nine recordings released under her own name.<br />

Tom McClung is an American pianist and composer, performing all around <strong>the</strong><br />

world. Tom was born on a little island off <strong>the</strong> coast of a big continent, into a<br />

family for which <strong>the</strong> joy of making music was important every day.<br />

One can always expect <strong>the</strong> unexpected in a McClung performance. His everswinging<br />

piano style displays a wide spectrum of musical and emotional colors.<br />

Tom’s expressive touch, vivid imagination and playful humor present an exciting<br />

musical experience for all who listen.<br />

Tom’s piano can be heard on recordings of saxophonists Yusef Lateef, Marion<br />

Brown, and Archie Shepp, with whom he has been appearing on international<br />

stages since 1996.<br />

Tom McClung has released six albums as a leader or co-leader, showcasing his<br />

original compositions and arrangements.<br />

After hearing his version of Bach’s Goldberg aria, director Patric Jean enlisted<br />

Tom to compose and perform music for his film “D’un Mur l’Autre” (Black<br />

Moon, 2008).Tom’s critically acclaimed new album ‘This Is You’ (blang music),<br />

in duo with saxophonist Jean-Jacques Elangué, represents <strong>the</strong> fruits of a ten-year<br />

collaboration.<br />

Tom is also an enthusiastic music educator, giving private lessons and workshops<br />

in improvisation and harmony. His gentle demeanor and encouragement<br />

bestow confidence and inspires creative exploration.<br />

7


Ambrose Akinmusire<br />

http://www.ambroseakinmusire.com<br />

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Akinmusire was as a member of<br />

<strong>the</strong> Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble, where he caught <strong>the</strong> attention of<br />

saxophonist Steve Coleman who was visiting <strong>the</strong> school to give a workshop.<br />

Coleman and hired him as a member of his Five Elements band for a<br />

European tour.<br />

Akinmusire studied at <strong>the</strong> Manhattan School of Music before returning to <strong>the</strong><br />

West Coast to take a master’s degree at <strong>the</strong> University of Sou<strong>the</strong>rn California<br />

and attend <strong>the</strong> Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles. In 2007,<br />

Akinmusire won <strong>the</strong> Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and<br />

Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition and released<br />

his debut recording Prelude…To Cora on <strong>the</strong> Fresh Sound New Talent label.<br />

He moved back to New York City and began performing with Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Esperanza Spalding, and Jason<br />

Moran, taking part in Moran’s innovative multimedia concert event In My Mind: Monk At Town Hall, 1957. It was<br />

also during this time that he caught <strong>the</strong> attention of Bruce Lundvall, President of Blue Note Records.<br />

Akinmusire made his debut on <strong>the</strong> Blue Note label in 2011 with <strong>the</strong> album When The Heart Emerges Glistening,<br />

featuring his quintet oftenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan and<br />

drummer Justin Brown.<br />

Famoudou Don Moye<br />

www.myspace.com / famoudoudonmoye<br />

Although he’s played with many o<strong>the</strong>r prominent free jazz musicians, Don<br />

Moye is far and away best known for his work with <strong>the</strong> most highly acclaimed<br />

avant-garde combo of <strong>the</strong> ‘70s and ‘80s, <strong>the</strong> Art Ensemble of Chicago.<br />

Moye immediately added a more explicit rhythmic sensibility upon joining<br />

<strong>the</strong> previously drummer-less group. The band’s ability to groove was greatly<br />

enhanced by his presence. Moye was capable of swinging in a conventional jazz<br />

manner, but it was his mastery of various African and Caribbean percussion<br />

instruments and rhythmic techniques that set him apart from o<strong>the</strong>r jazz<br />

drummers of his generation.<br />

Moye studied percussion at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he<br />

worked with trumpeter Charles Moore’s Detroit Free Jazz.<br />

Moore’s band traveled to Europe in May of 1968. Once <strong>the</strong>re, Moye traveled <strong>the</strong> continent and Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Africa,<br />

working with such players as Steve Lacy, Sonny Sharrock, and Pharoah Sanders. In 1969, <strong>the</strong> Art Ensemble<br />

arrived in Paris. The band had been performing without a drummer in <strong>the</strong> two years since <strong>the</strong>ir inception. In<br />

Paris <strong>the</strong>y decided to hire a full-time drummer and found Moye at <strong>the</strong> American Center for Students and Artists.<br />

Moye’s extremely active, pattern-based polyrhythmic style lent <strong>the</strong> group a drive and cohesion that <strong>the</strong>y had (to<br />

some degree) lacked. Along with Jarman and Favors, Moye took to wearing African face paint and clothing in<br />

performance with <strong>the</strong> Art Ensemble.<br />

Calypso’s Smile<br />

Moye has long been active in contexts apart from <strong>the</strong> Art Ensemble. Before moving to Chicago in 1971, Moye<br />

played with musicians associated with <strong>the</strong> Black Artists Group in St. Louis. In <strong>the</strong> ‘70s, he played with pianist<br />

Randy Weston and formed a percussion duo with fellow AACM member Steve McCall. Moye played and<br />

recorded in a variety of jazz settings, from modal to bop to free. In 1984, he became a member of <strong>the</strong> Leaders,<br />

a collection of avant-jazz all-stars Lester Bowie, Chico Freeman, Arthur Bly<strong>the</strong>, Don Cherry, and Kirk Lightsey.<br />

Moye recorded as a leader himself, notably on <strong>the</strong> Art Ensemble’s own AECO label: in 1975, as a solo percussionist<br />

(Sun Percussion, Vol. 1); in 1993, as co-leader of <strong>the</strong> Joseph Jarman/Famoudou Don Moye Magic Triangle <strong>Band</strong><br />

(Calypso’s Smile); and in 1996, as co-leader, with Enoch Williamson of <strong>the</strong> Sun Percussion Summit (Afrikan<br />

Song).<br />

8


Jimmy Owens<br />

http://jimmyowensjazz.com<br />

Legendary Jazz artist JIMMY OWENS (trumpet, flugelhorn) has<br />

over forty-five years of experience as a Jazz trumpeter, composer,<br />

arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant. His experience<br />

covers a wide range of international musical achievement,<br />

which includes extensive work as a studio musician, soloist, bandleader,<br />

and composer of orchestral compositions, movie scores,<br />

and ballets. Jimmy is one of <strong>the</strong> few trumpeters of his generation<br />

who played as a sideman with such extraordinary Jazz leaders as,<br />

Lionel Hampton, Hank Crawford, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, Billy Taylor, and <strong>the</strong> Thad<br />

Jones/Mel Lewis <strong>Band</strong>, among o<strong>the</strong>rs. As a result, his musical and personal recollections are unique. He can<br />

share personal recollections of being a sideman in some of <strong>the</strong> most exciting bands in <strong>the</strong> history of Jazz music.<br />

His anecdotes are priceless: playing with Cootie Williams, Sweets Edison, Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie in<br />

an historic concert at Yale where Eubie Blake and Paul Robeson were in <strong>the</strong> audience; sitting in with Miles Davis<br />

at <strong>the</strong> age of fifteen, and many o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />

Throughout his long career, Jimmy has consistently emphasized in both his performances and recordings a deep<br />

understanding of <strong>the</strong> blues as well as beautiful and articulate emotional <strong>project</strong>ion on ballads. As a reviewer stated<br />

in All About Jazz regarding Jimmy’s performance on One More: The Summary – Music of Thad Jones, Vol<br />

2 (2006), an all-star recording on which Jimmy appeared – “Jimmy Owens … proves that he’s better than ever,<br />

whe<strong>the</strong>r employing a breathy, vocal quality (Little Pixie), a smooth flugelhorn sound (Three in One), or brilliant<br />

and elliptical Jones-like melodic ideas (Rejoice).”<br />

Raphaël Imbert<br />

http://www.ninespirit.org/<br />

Born on June 2 1974, Raphaël Imbert grew up in an artistic background. At <strong>the</strong> age of 15, he<br />

discovered <strong>the</strong> saxophone. It was love at first sight. Self-taught, he registered for <strong>the</strong> CNR jazz<br />

class in Marseilles, taught by Pilippe Renault, and met <strong>the</strong> regional musicians he plays with <strong>the</strong><br />

most regularly (Emile Atsas, Jean-Luc Difraja, Vincent Lafont, Pierre Fenichel…).<br />

With Jean-Jacques Elangué, he wins <strong>the</strong> first prize at <strong>the</strong> Conservatoire (music school), and<br />

starts two bands, <strong>the</strong> Hemle Orchestra and <strong>the</strong> Atsas Imbert Consort, with which he will play<br />

in many festivals ( Vienne, Nice, Fiesta des Suds in Marseilles, Théâtre des Salins…). Having<br />

rubbed shoulders with <strong>the</strong>se musicians, he enjoys composing in eclectic musical situations.<br />

More personally, he develops his own vision of music and jazz, linked to <strong>the</strong> specific spitituality<br />

Ellington, John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Albert Ayler and o<strong>the</strong>rs, and to realize shows inspired by evocative<br />

texts, using narration as a musical element per se (<strong>the</strong>y will play to Théodore Monod, Amidou Hampatê Bâ, Martin<br />

Lu<strong>the</strong>r King…). On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, he develops a <strong>project</strong> of study of <strong>the</strong> sacred in jazz, and becomes laureate of <strong>the</strong><br />

Villa Médicis Hors les Murs. In 2002, he created <strong>the</strong> collective L’Enclencheur (in motion), with o<strong>the</strong>r musicians,<br />

sociologists, journalists, music lovers, to defend a <strong>project</strong> of reflexion integrating jazz playing into a wider vision of<br />

society. He taught at <strong>the</strong> Conservatoire in Marseilles, and now teaches at Ecole Départemental de Musique des Alpes<br />

de Haute Provence.<br />

He has been a member of <strong>the</strong> board of <strong>the</strong>” Orchestre National de jazz” since september 2004 and, in June 2005, he<br />

won <strong>the</strong> 28th National Jazz Contest of La Défense in Paris.<br />

Raphaël Imbert composes also for movies and television, for Philippe Carrese’s and Isabelle Boni-Claverie’s <strong>project</strong>s.<br />

In 2005, Nine Spirit became <strong>the</strong> Nine Spirit Company, administrative and artistic structure to develop his ideas and<br />

those of associated artists, such as singer / songwriter Marion Rampal.<br />

Since 2004, Imbert joined as a student Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), under <strong>the</strong> direction of<br />

Jean Jamin, and as such has been commissioned for a research in <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn of USA, for <strong>the</strong> IMPROTECH <strong>project</strong>,<br />

funded by <strong>the</strong> ANR, in partnership with CNRS, IRCAM and <strong>the</strong> LAHIC.<br />

9


Francois Théberge<br />

www.cnsmdp.fr/enseign/biograp/théber_f.htm<br />

Saxophonist, composer and arranger born in Montreal Canada, on May 18th<br />

1963. Involved as a freelance musician in Montreal between 1980 and 1985<br />

both as a writer and performer, he also studied saxophone and arranging. In<br />

1985 he was awarded <strong>the</strong> Canada Arts Council grant to study at <strong>the</strong> Eastman<br />

School of Music in Rochester N.Y. His next five years were spent in <strong>the</strong> USA<br />

studying and performing ; In Rochester he earned a masters degree in jazz and<br />

contemporary medias, studying with Rayburn Wright and Bill Dobbins.<br />

He studied and performed in Miami Florida (University of Miami with Ron<br />

Miller and Gary Campbel). He toured as saxophonist and arranger with <strong>the</strong><br />

Glenn Miller big band around <strong>the</strong> United States, Japan and Brazil for 14<br />

months. In 1990, he was invited in France by <strong>the</strong> Orchestre Régional Rhône-<br />

Alpes (Grenoble) as guest conductor/lead saxophonist to coordinate <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

repertoire. In 1991, he moved to Paris and involved himself in <strong>the</strong> jazz community.<br />

The artistic emulation in Paris lead him to meet many musicians from<br />

around <strong>the</strong> world. Besides co-leading his own big band in Paris, he became<br />

involved in various tours and recording <strong>project</strong>s around Europe. As a result<br />

of his important arranging activities in Europe, he was appointed professor<br />

of jazz arranging/composing at <strong>the</strong> National Conservatory of Music in Paris<br />

in 1995. His first recording as a leader (Asteur) featuring Horace Parlan on<br />

piano, was nominated in<br />

France for « best jazz album » in 1997 , and he was also nominated « best<br />

new talent » in 1998. In 1999, he was appointed conductor/composer of<br />

<strong>the</strong> European Jazz Youth Orchestra. He is founder of <strong>the</strong> new record label<br />

ROUND RECORDS (award winning « The Medium <strong>Band</strong> »). In <strong>the</strong> fall<br />

of 2000, he succeeded François Jeanneau as Head of <strong>the</strong> Jazz and Improvised<br />

Music department at <strong>the</strong> Paris National Conservatoire (2000-2004). In<br />

2002, his record « françois théberge five featuring Lee --- <strong>the</strong> music of Konitz<br />

» as been awarded <strong>the</strong> « Choc de l’année 2002 » in France. In 2004, his next<br />

record « Elenar » received a 4 stars review in Down Beat, was nominated in<br />

<strong>the</strong> Canadian jazz awards, <strong>the</strong> Juno awards and <strong>the</strong> ADISQ (Québec) as best<br />

jazz album of <strong>the</strong> year, as well as getting a « CHOC » from <strong>the</strong> famous french<br />

jazz magazine JAZZMAN. He is a member of <strong>the</strong> Hans Koller quartet (London<br />

based), <strong>the</strong> Piotr Wosajik Colors Group (Poland), <strong>the</strong> Sylvain Beuf Sextet<br />

(France) and <strong>the</strong> Michel Donato Quintet (Canada)<br />

as well as leading is own <strong>project</strong>s in France : his 2008 record « Soliloque » with<br />

Lee Konitz was awarded « Disque d’émoi » and a « Choc de l’année 2008» in<br />

France as well as receiving « early contender for cd of <strong>the</strong> year » in Canada.<br />

His current teaching activities include a full professorship at <strong>the</strong> CNSMD<br />

Paris, as well as invited professor at many Universities, colleges and Conservatoires<br />

around <strong>the</strong> world (Birmingham, Cologne, Toronto, Weimar, Akademy<br />

of Katowice in Poland ---). He collaborates with Archie Shepp’s <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong><br />

<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong> as saxophonist and arranger since <strong>the</strong> summer of 2012. Two new<br />

recordings are due out early 2013 ; a collaboration with Portland (USA) based<br />

drummer Alan Jones on original songs, and a duo CD with bassist Sylvain<br />

Romano. Starting 2013, he is artistic director of Jazz à Vannes.<br />

10


Cécile McLorin Salvant<br />

http://www.cecilemclorinsalvant.com<br />

Cécile McLorin Salvant was born and raised in Miami, Florida of a French<br />

mo<strong>the</strong>r and a Haitian fa<strong>the</strong>r. She started classical piano studies at 5, and<br />

began singing in <strong>the</strong> Miami Choral Society at 8. Early on, she developed<br />

an interest in classical voice, began studying with private instructors,<br />

and later with Edward Walker, vocal teacher at <strong>the</strong> University of Miami.<br />

Cécile McLorin Salvant was born and raised in Miami, Florida of a French<br />

mo<strong>the</strong>r and a Haitian fa<strong>the</strong>r. She started classical piano studies at 5, and<br />

began singing in <strong>the</strong> Miami Choral Society at 8. Early on, she developed<br />

an interest in classical voice, began studying with private instructors,<br />

and later with Edward Walker, vocal teacher at <strong>the</strong> University of Miami.<br />

In 2007, Cécile moved to Aix-en-Provence, France, to study law as well as classical and baroque voice at <strong>the</strong> Darius<br />

Milhaud Conservatory. It was in Aix-en-Provence, with reedist and teacher Jean-François Bonnel, that she started<br />

learning about improvisation, instrumental and vocal repertoire ranging from <strong>the</strong> 1910s on, and sang with her<br />

first band. In 2009, after a series of concerts in Paris, she recorded her first album, «Cécile», with Jean-François<br />

Bonnel’s Paris Quintet. A year later, she won <strong>the</strong> in Washington D.C. Cécile performs unique interpretations of<br />

unknown and scarcely recorded jazz and blues compositions. She focuses on a <strong>the</strong>atrical portrayal of <strong>the</strong> jazz standard<br />

and is just beginning to compose her own instrumental compositions and songs. She is also sings in French,<br />

her native language as well as in Spanish. She enjoys growing popularity in Europe and in <strong>the</strong> United States, performing<br />

in clubs, concert halls, spiegeltents, and festivals accompanied by renowned musicians like Jean-Francois<br />

Bonnel, Rodney Whitaker, Aaron Diehl, Dan Nimmer, Jonathan Batiste, Jacky Terrasson (with an a noted collaboration<br />

in his «Gouache» Universal CD), Archie Shepp... She sings for <strong>the</strong> 2nd consecutive year for <strong>the</strong> Chanel’s<br />

« Chance » ad campaign. In August 2012, Cécile recorded at <strong>the</strong> Avatar Studios a CD to be released early<br />

next year for <strong>the</strong> Mack Avenue Label with Aaron Diehl, Rodney Whitaker, Herlin Riley and James Chirillo.<br />

Sebastien Llado<br />

www.sebastienllado.com<br />

Trombonist, conchist and composer born in Perpignan, he studyied from Guy<br />

Figlionlos, JJ Johnson and Phil Wilson at Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA)<br />

and in Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (CNSMDP). He<br />

won 3 bandleading contests in National Jazz Contest of la Défense (1999: Spice<br />

‘Bones, 2001: Sébastien Llado Quartet, 2003: Zerafa / Georgelet Quartet), was<br />

soloist in National Jazz Orchestra(ONJ), conducted by Claude Barthélémy from<br />

2002 to 2005, with whom he toured Europe and abroad.<br />

He played, a.o. with French top jazz artists like Archie Shepp, David Patrois, Manu<br />

Codjia, Médéric Collignon, Jef Sicard, Emmanuel Bex, Sylvain Cathala,<br />

Sarah Murcia, «Magic» Malik Mezzadri and also with Albert Mangelsdorff’s German-French big band for 5 years.<br />

Very open-minded musician, he could also be heard with De La Soul, Muktiar Ali, Sophia Charaï, ElectroDeluxe, Hocus<br />

Pocus, Chris Garneau, Sébastien Tellier or Lenny Kravitz. You can ei<strong>the</strong>r hear his trombone on <strong>the</strong> original soundtrack of<br />

<strong>the</strong> 2010 Swedish award-wining movie «Sound of Noise» by Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjarne Nilsson, and also on Yael<br />

Naïm’s 2007 award-wining pop single «New Soul».<br />

Despite his activities as a musician, he also is a gifted composer (movies soundtracks like «Muslims in France» (Phares et<br />

Balises, 2008) and <strong>the</strong> hymn of «En Marche» (JL Mélenchon’s French left party’s webserie) and teaches trombone and<br />

ensemble classes in Montreuil Conservatory.<br />

11


Darryl Hall<br />

Bassist; b. Philadelphia, PA, 10 November 1963. His mo<strong>the</strong>r was from Greenville,<br />

SC, and his fa<strong>the</strong>r was from Richmond, VA. His fa<strong>the</strong>r had rich appreciation for<br />

African American music, from Ray Charles to Coltrane and Muddy Waters, as well<br />

as non-African artists such as Barbara Streisand and John Denver which influenced<br />

Darryl’s wide taste.<br />

He attended Wagner Jr. High School (1975-78) and started playing electric bass, selftaught,<br />

inspired by funk bass craze and bassists Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, Lewis<br />

Johnson (Bro<strong>the</strong>rs Johnson) and o<strong>the</strong>r funk music at <strong>the</strong> time, performed with school<br />

band. He played Fender jazz bass with local bands, usually with older musicians.<br />

Attended Temple University, 1981-86 (BA in Marketing), remained self-taught.<br />

Took music appreciation course and learned rudiments of notation and <strong>the</strong>ory.<br />

In 1989, while working in marketing for James River Paper Corp., Darryl purchased a plywood upright bass from<br />

<strong>the</strong> husband of Philadelphian vocalist Suzanne Cloud. From <strong>the</strong>re, he started taking private lessons from renowned<br />

bassist Tyrone Brown (Max Roach, Grover Washington, and Odean Pope). Tyrone taught Darryl <strong>the</strong> essentials of<br />

<strong>the</strong> instrument, positions and reading. Following that, he received periodic coaching from Gerald Price on harmony,<br />

swing, and understanding music and emotion. Pianist Eddie Green (Billy Paul, Catalyst) became ano<strong>the</strong>r important<br />

figure in Darryl’s musical development thru understanding o<strong>the</strong>r kinds of harmonic approaches and rhythm. By 1991<br />

he worked throughout <strong>the</strong> Philadelphia region and performed with <strong>the</strong> likes of Bootsy Barnes(ts), Johnny Coles (tp),<br />

Dennis Diblasio (bs), pianists Sam Dockery and Don Wilson, vocalists Mrs. Justine Keyes and Rachelle Ferrell.<br />

In 1992, Darryl quit his job to do music full time. In 1994, first European tour was with pianist Abdullah Ibrahim.<br />

Around <strong>the</strong> end of 1994, he moved to Jersey City, NJ, becoming involved in <strong>the</strong> North Jersey music scene and slowly<br />

into NYC. Met Winard (dm) and Philip Harper (tp) around this time (Harper Bro<strong>the</strong>rs). Did European tour with<br />

Winard’s band, played a week at Bradley’s with Philip. He met Dr. Lewis Porter in 1995 and got involved in teaching<br />

part-time at Rutgers U. in Newark, NJ. At Rutgers, he was a bass instructor (1996-1997).<br />

In 1996, he became winner of <strong>the</strong> Thelonious Monk International Bass competition. He <strong>the</strong>n moved to Brooklyn.<br />

He started working with vocalist Carla Cook, did SS Norway jazz cruise with Jimmy Heath (sax). During 1997-98,<br />

he worked with alto Antonio Hart’s band (European and Japanese tours), along with various artists including vocalist<br />

Vanessa Rubin (v), Teodross Avery (ts), Donald Byrd (tp), and Sonny Fortune (as), Mark Gross (as), Don Braden (ts),<br />

Lionel Hampton and his <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong>, doing lots of international and domestic touring. Also, Carla Cook introduced<br />

Darryl to Regina Carter (violin). He recorded and worked in <strong>the</strong>ir bands for about two years, as well as with Ravi<br />

Coltrane (ts) on a regular basis. Met Tom Harrell (tp) around this time thru Greg Tardy (ts), and started doing work<br />

with his band, including a European tour (2000). He lived in Zurich, Switzerland for almost a year, performed locally<br />

and joined up with American bands touring Europe, including a European tour with Woody Herman’s <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Band</strong>.<br />

He returned to <strong>the</strong> states in 2000. Also, he was married to Ca<strong>the</strong>rine Henry from France, who used to be a writer for<br />

French publication Jazz Hot magazine.<br />

In 2001, Darryl toured with Steve Wilson (alto). He attended Manhattan School of Music and completed one year of<br />

Masters degree program in Composition. In 2002, gigged as sideman with many talents, including Joe Wilder (tp),<br />

Mulgrew Miller (p), Bruce Barth (p), Benny Powell (tbn), and renowned pianist Hank Jones. O<strong>the</strong>r talents whom<br />

he’s collaborated with include Howard Johnson (tuba), James Williams (p), Frank Wess (ts). Has worked with Mark<br />

Murphy (v) and recorded <strong>project</strong>s for High Note Records including Norman Simmons (p), Grady Tate(dm), Bill<br />

Easley (ts), and Paul Bollenbeck (g) Still performs on electric bass and has been learning computer midi composing<br />

and recording to pursue electric <strong>project</strong>s.<br />

12


Christophe Leloil<br />

http://www.myspace.com/leloil<br />

Graduated from <strong>the</strong> Music Conservatory in Caen in 1997, Christophe has toured and played<br />

with (to name a few) Emmanuel Bex, Peter King, Alain Jean- Marie, Stefano Di Battista,<br />

Serge Lazarevitch or Eric Barret, Sophie Alour, Pierrick Pedron, Denis Leloup, Gilles Naturel,<br />

Karl Jannuska, Alex Saada…and in large ensembles conducted by Maria Schneider, Albert<br />

Mangelsdorff (« Franco-allemand de Jazz » from ’97 to ‘99) or Antoine Hervé (UMJ band<br />

en 2002).<br />

International tours with Electronic Septet de Fred Galliano in US (Knitting Factory NYC),<br />

Funk Brass <strong>Band</strong> ‘URANUS BRUYANT’(US, Europe, Africa).<br />

Works regularly with Carine Bonnefoy (quintet & big band « Pepper Pills »), NINE SPIRIT<br />

and SIXTINE GROUP led by Raphaël Imbert…<br />

Since 2007-2008, Christophe has led two sextet <strong>project</strong>s under his own name: a tribute to <strong>the</strong><br />

late master Booker LITTLE based on his 1961 records, and an original: <strong>the</strong> « E.C.H.O.E.S.<br />

» jazz suite was published in January 2009 on AJMIséries and well acclaimed by <strong>the</strong> critics.<br />

A new <strong>project</strong> « Line4 », new writings in a modern and urban mood, composed for a new<br />

quartet featuring <strong>the</strong> gifted André Charlier on drums will be recorded soon.<br />

Simon Sieger<br />

http://www.myspace.com/simonsieger<br />

Simon Sieger, born in 1986, has played jazz since his early childhood.<br />

He was taught <strong>the</strong> essentials of music and improvisation by his fa<strong>the</strong>r, Pascal Sieger<br />

before moving to Marseille in 2004. At <strong>the</strong> same time as he attends <strong>the</strong> jazz class in <strong>the</strong><br />

Conservatoire of Marseille with Phillipe Renault (he graduates in 2011), he works with<br />

Jean-Marc Montera, André Jaume, and Ahmad Compaoré among o<strong>the</strong>rs. In 2009, he<br />

joins <strong>the</strong> Compagnie Nine Spirit with Raphael Imbert, and has since participated in most<br />

of his <strong>project</strong>s (Improtech with <strong>the</strong> Ircam and O’max at Lomax, among o<strong>the</strong>rs). In 2012,<br />

he obtains a Master’s degree in <strong>the</strong> University of Aix-Marseille, doing research on Sun Ra<br />

and his Arkestra, and publishes articles in musicological reviews. He is now<br />

working with Thomas Weirich in various <strong>project</strong>s, as well as with Famoudou Don Moye,<br />

and Archie Shepp in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Attica</strong> <strong>Blues</strong> <strong>Band</strong>. He is also starting a doctorate on <strong>the</strong> history<br />

of improvisation, directed by Christine Esclapez (Aix-Marseille Université), and Ivanka<br />

Stoianova (Paris VIII).<br />

13


Marion Rampal<br />

www.myspace.com/marionrampal<br />

Marion Rampal was born in 1980 and grew up in Marseille.<br />

During her childhood she studied classical music (piano and flute) and<br />

participated to many artistic and pluri-disciplinar <strong>project</strong>s until her twenties,<br />

singing in choirs,<br />

song-writting for pop bands, and acting.<br />

She studied Jazz at <strong>the</strong> famous IMFP School in Salon de Provence and at <strong>the</strong><br />

Marseille ‘s Conservatory, where she was taught improvisation, harmony, voice...<br />

by renown french and international Jazz musicians such as Michel Zenino, David<br />

Linx, Michel Barrot...<br />

Since 2005 she is an active member of French sax player and composer Raphaël<br />

Imbert : « la Compagnie Nine Spirit ». She works with <strong>the</strong> Compagnie but she<br />

also develops her own <strong>project</strong>s and productions.<br />

She has released a first album in 2009 «Own Virago», a song-writting <strong>project</strong><br />

about Women Mythologies, a blend of pop music with an approach on jaz,<br />

improvise music and blues patterns in what she would now defends as her own<br />

musical style:FREE POP !<br />

She is also singing and song-writing in <strong>the</strong> pop folk duet WE USED TO HAVE<br />

A BAND.<br />

She is currently working on a new <strong>project</strong> «MAIN BLUE», which will be<br />

achieved in 2012. It is a vast multi-purpose creation including : research,<br />

collaborations with traditional american and mediterranean musicians, voice<br />

workshop, composition, stage exploration and recording. This <strong>project</strong> is based<br />

on <strong>the</strong> concept of «<strong>Blues</strong>», which aim to explore <strong>the</strong> «gesture»in <strong>Blues</strong> through<br />

voice, poetic, musical, and choreographic expressions.<br />

Marion Rampal is also an active member of Pan<strong>the</strong>atre, a compagny related to <strong>the</strong><br />

famous Roy Hart Theatre, led by Enrique Pardo and Linda Wise, collaborating<br />

with Izidor Leizinger, Nick Hobbs, Amy Rome...with whom she explores all<br />

various possibilities of human voice and free improvisation, along with cultural<br />

studies in archetypal psychologie and performance.<br />

Since 2003, she has performed in many Jazz festivals and venues all around<br />

France, opening for bands Like Dave Liebman, Daniel Humair, David Linx,<br />

Steve Swallow...or guest with Manu Katché in 2010:Jazz in Porquerolles, Cité de<br />

la Musique de Paris, Festival des 5 Continents, etc...<br />

She will record with frech pianist Perrine Mansuy for her <strong>the</strong> album «Vertigo<br />

Songs», edited by Laborie in 2011.<br />

She is an active voice and impro teacher, defending an original, provocative,<br />

breath and body-based approach, and teaching to many different publics, such<br />

as children, old people, as well as professional singers and performers.<br />

14

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!