A tuba virtuoso, Michel Godard is today one of the most important tuba player and serpent player in the world of jazz and improvised music.
A tuba virtuoso, Michel Godard is today one of the most important tuba player and serpent player in the world of jazz and improvised music.
Born in 1960 near Belfort, Michel Godard was quickly recognized as a tuba virtuoso, pursuing a career between jazz and classical music. He is today one of the most important tubers and serpentists in the world of jazz and improvised music.
Michel Godard's playing is extraordinary in every way, a breathtaking technique combined with the finest musicality allow him to make these heavy-looking instruments airy.
In 1979, he discovered the snake, ancestor of the tuba, which allowed him to open his field of expression to early music.
In the world of classical music, Michel Godard has played and recorded with the Orchester Philarmonique de Radio France, the Orchester National de France, the ensemble "musique vivante", "la fenice", "XVIII-21 Music of lights ". He was a member of the "Arban chamber brass" (tours in Japan, U.S.A., Africa) and performer of the solo tuba repertoire. Quite naturally, after such experiences, he gave master classes all over the world, and he will be discovered by the world of European jazz. Since then, Michel Godard has embarked on musical adventures with artists such as Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Henry Texier, Enrico Rava, Pat Metteny, Kenny Wheeler, Ray Anderson, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Sylvie Courvoisier, Simon Nabatov, Wolfgang Puschnig, Linda Sharrock, Pierre Favre, Misha Mengelberg, Linda Bsiri, Gianluigi Trovesi, Christof Lauer, Maria Pia De Vito, Pino Minafra, Luciano Biondini, Gavino Murgia, Gunter "Baby" Somer, Willem Breuker, Herbert Joos, Dave Bargeron and many other.
As a composer, Michel Godard writes for Radio France (“Penthes (il) ée II”), Donaueschinger Musiktage / Südwestrundfunk (“from tuba memory”, “Tra la folla, mora, mormora”, “Praeludium”), the Ministry of Culture (“Bradamente on the lookout”, “children of paradise”). He won the Villa Médicis Hors les Murs 1992.
He records numerous CDs with his own projects: "Monteverdi, A Trace of Grace" "Le concert des parfums" for the Carpe Diem label, "Archangelica", "ImpertinAnce", "Cousins Germains" CAMjazz, "Castel del monte", "Tubatuba" for Enja, "Deep", "Trio Rouge" for Intuition, "Doux Désirs" in a duet with Ihab Radwan for Dodicilune records ……….
Michel Godard has also performed and recorded with Bagad de Quimperlé, reggae star Alpha Blondy, and "Canterburry" rock musicians John Greaves and Pip Pyle. He regularly collaborates with the writer Nancy Huston: "Tendres ténèbres", "Peregrinations Goldberg", "Tentatives de renaissance" Erosongs ".
