Denis Benarrosh is one of the greatest drummers and percussionists of the French scene.

Denis Benarrosh is one of the greatest drummers and percussionists of the French scene.

Numerous collaborations: Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Christophe Mae, Eddy Mitchell, Julien Clerc, Pascal Obispo, Calogéro, Florent Pagny, Mauranne, Michel Jonasz, Rose, Laurent Voulzy, Henri Salvador, Bénabar, Miossec, Patrick Bruel, Charlélie Couture.

 

Tours and concerts:

• Francis Cabrel (1989 à 2016)
• Claude Nougaro (1996 à 2003)
• Lionel Ritchie (1995)
• Benjamin Biolay (2002 à 2017)
• Jean Louis Aubert (2011/2012)
• Charlélie Couture (2014/2015)
• Biolay/Fiszman/Benarrosh (2015)

 

His news:

• Tourn Francis Cabrel : In Extremis (2015/2016)
• Album Benjamin Biolay : Hollywood Palerme (Avril 2016)
• Christophe Mae : Album L'attrape rêve (2016)
• Isabelle Boulay : En vérité (2017)
• Benjamin Biolay : Album Volver (2017)

 

Denys Lable is a French guitarist. He accompanied in the studio and on stage many artists of French music including Julien Clerc, Michel Jonasz , France Gall, Francis Cabrel .

Denys Lable is a French guitarist. He accompanied in the studio and on stage many artists of French music including Julien Clerc, Michel Jonasz, France Gall, Francis Cabrel .

Denys grew up in a family of musicians. He had his first guitar at the age of 12 and started his first group 'Les Shows' with his brother Richard at 17.

It was the swinging sixties and Denys became a passionate admirer of the blues rebirth taking place in England (The Animals, John Mayall, Eric Clapton) and the African-American music scene (Jimi Hendrix, John Stax, Motown). At this time he was attending the Ecole Boulle in Paris. After a short period with the 'Sharks' and an unforgettable concert at the Winter Olympics in Grenoble as the opener for Steve Winwood, he played with 'Trust' and 'Mat 3', as well as making the odd appearance for 'Calcium' alongside Stéphane Vilar and Zouzou. His last group 'Torpédo' was formed in the early the 80s.

 

1970 and 1971 were very important years in Denys' career.
One of his best memories of studio recording dates from that time - Lani Hall's song with composer Michel Colombier for the album 'Wings'. He also began a long partnership with Julien Clerc with whom he went on tour in France and around the world.

1974 saw him record Julien Clerc's 'Terre de France' album at La Métairie with a live band. His arrangements for 'N°7' a year later have remained some of his best work. He also met Jean-Claude Vannier and through him began to work with Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin amongst others.

In 1977 he performed at Le Théâtre de la Ville with Michel Jonasz and this spelled the beginning of a very productive period within Gabriel Yared's team. When he talks about the recording of the 'Guigui' album which includes 'En v'la du slow, en v'la' (So you want to dance slow), 'Les années 80 commencent' album (The 80s have started) which includes '25 piges dont 5 au cachot' (5 out of 25 years in a cell) for Michel Jonasz, and the 'Gin Tonic'/'Musique saoûle ('Soul' music)' albums for Françoise Hardy, it was obviously a milestone for him.

 

In the 80s and 90s he was involved with the likes of Davout, Ferber, La Grande Armée, Gang, Plus30 and Face B.
He experienced some strong emotions in these 'temples of sound' along with the highs and lows of 'live'. Many artists sought out his talents.

With Paul Scemama he produced his first album, 'Crystal Hotel', with the singles 'Late Nite' and 'Mosquito's Mambo'.

In 1989 the 'Sarbacane' (Blowpipe) album came out, kicking off a long collaboration with Francis Cabrel, both on stage and in the studio. At the same time he was working in the MB School on 'Tycoon', the English version of 'Starmania', especially 'Only the very best', sung by Peter Kingsley. He also worked on the 'Dion chante Plamandon' (Dion sings Luc Plamandon) album and the 'Double Jeu' (Playing both sides against the other) album with the singing duo of Michel Berger and France Gall.

In 1993 he remained with France Gall for her concerts at Bercy and the memorable follow-up 'J'ai besoin de vous' (I need you all) tour.

In 1994 he worked on Francis Cabrel's eighth album, 'Samedi soir sur la terre' (Saturday night on earth), and the 'Crapou/Lable' album with Gérard Kawczynski and some musician friends. The jointly sung cover of 'Red river blues' really stood out, leading to other blues-based projects.

His travels to Montreal to record with Roch Voisine, Robert Charlebois, Jeff Smallwood and Patrick Norman made a strong impression, not forgetting his participation on '23am' from Robert Miles' 'Heatwave' album.

He also enjoyed going back to his roots with the 1990 'Rock'n Roll Show' tour. It was an amazing time for him to revisit 50s rock with Francis Cabrel and the legend that is Dick Rivers.

At the request of Jean-François Foucault, the director of the Parisian 'Jazz at Albret' festival, he gave a one-off concert in July 2000 with Bertrand Lajudie, Eric Séva and the Paganottis (father and son). Not long after this he threw himself into the 'Autour du blues' (Around the blues) project.

Spurred on by the producer Eric Basset, and supported by Michaël Jones and Patrick Verbeke, he organised a concert to honour guitarists and blues music. Jean-Jacques Goldman, Dick Rivers, Francis Cabrel and Paul Personne were some of the big names who headlined the event, which led to a double CD in 2001. More concerts and recording sessions would follow. His last big event was the celebration of the New Morning club's 25th birthday in 2007, which featured Larry Carlton and Robben Ford. It was a real pleasure for him to unearth some of the blues 'gems' and Motown hits and give them a 21st century feel. And it would not be right if we did not mention his work on Valérie Cicco's 'Quelle belle ville' (Beautiful life) album, Patrick Verbeke's 'Echos d'Acadie' (Echos of Acadia) album with the 'Coeurs solidaires' (Hearts as one) single, and Soldat Louis' 'Itineraires' (Itinerary) album.

Unfortunately it is impossible to list all the other artists, musicians, arrangers, sound engineers, places, studios, home studios that have enabled him to achieve so many hits.

Denys knows that some of his work will live on, and he can be mighty proud when he hears Albert Lee/Mark Knopfler's version of 'Disappearing nightly', the Spencer Bohren song that he played on and recorded in Astaffort, the home of Francis Cabrel.

 

Drummer, composer and director with many facets and eclectic universes.

Drummer, composer and director with many facets and eclectic universes.

A young drummer of 24, Diaz began at the age of 3 at the percussions of Strasbourg. 8 years at the Conservatory followed and 4 years of drums lessons with Matthieu Zirn and Bas Sluis, during which he was able to evolve technically and create his own game as well as being a 4-time winner of the Sonor HSMA Competition in his category.

Technician on tours with various French artists, studio drummer at Espace Musique et Création where he records for the Divan Bleu Records label.

Diaz became a professional drummer at the age of 17. He enriched himself with musicians such as Loic Pontieux, Gilles Choir, Claude Salmiéri, Joe Hammer, Raphaël Chassin, Christophe Deschamps, Roger Biwandu, Eric Moore ... during internships and masterclasses.

The diversity of this young drummer is also his strength. Diaz performs on stage with artists of various styles, ranging from Rock-Metal to Rn'B through Gospel, Soul ... He works with artists and regional groups such as Babay & the Jailbreakers (Hiphop-world music), Yarel (Rock), Erone (French song), Sheena (Rock-grunge), Briand (soul) ...

Then at the end of 2007 he knocked on the Parisian door and joined the team of Marc Antoine (R'n'B) and became his drummer. His musical life in Strasbourg does not stop there any less. He is a drummer for several groups and artists such as SilentskiN (Rock-Métal), Meelady (New Soul), Smyk (Hip Hop), Mello Mello (Hip Hop), Mr Pi (Blues), the BigBog (big band funk blues) , The Chnapi Project (Experimental Groove Awakening), Muadib and the Awakening (fusion funk) ...

In 2008, he set off again on the roads with Marc Antoine.

In 2009, he met Zaho (RnB) of which he became the musical director, Sentinel Crew (Reggae-Gospel), Balègue (humoristic song). In parallel he realizes, arranges and mixes an album for Jean Marie Duton (French song).

Currently, back from touring with Marc Antoine, he is working on Meelady's album and SilentskiN's album.

To be Continued ...

 

JURIJ LIOTTA aka DJ JURIJ is an Italian DJ , producer, sound engineer and professor Apple Logic Pro.

JURIJ LIOTTA aka DJ JURIJ is an Italian DJ, Producer, Sound Engineer, and Apple Logic Pro Teacher.

He is operating the Royal Beat Records studio facility in Rome and is the official remixer of major artists like Steve Angello, Ian Carey, Dr. Kucho!, and John Dahlback.

Jurij's experience as dj and producer is founded on collaborations with major labels such as Superstar Recordings, Universal, Universo Media Group srl, Warner Chappell, Kontor, HitMania, and many more.

 

Soloist much sought after by the French scene, Dominique Pifarély is a violinist, improviser and composer.

Soloist much sought after by the French scene, Dominique Pifarély is a violinist, improviser and composer.

Dominique Pifarély modernized jazz violin, combining extraordinary technical skills with an inclusive idea of music-making. He has been soon very in-demand as a straight jazz player, but was soon in some of the more adventurous groups in Europe, too, including Mike Westbrook’s band (On Dukes’ Birthday, hatART) and the Vienna Art Orchestra.

In 1979, he began touring with bassist Didier Levallet and guitarist Gérard Marais as a trio. In the 1980s he began leading his own bands, as can be heard on 2 records, Insula Dulcamara (1988) et Oblique (1992).

In 1985, Pifarély started to work with reedist Louis Sclavis and in 1992, they formed the Sclavis/Pifarély Acoustic Quartet, featuring guitarist Marc Ducret and bassist Bruno Chevillon, and recorded for ECM. In the late 1990s, he started a duo work with pianist François Couturier, and they recorded a prominent album (Poros, ECM, 1997).

In the 2000’s, Dominique Pifarély leads different personal projects. Impromptu is a development of the collaboration with François Couturier, adding counter tenor Dominique Visse and a work on contemporary poetry. He initiated numerous text/music experiences with french writer François Bon and actors Violaine Schwartz and Pierre Baux. The Dédales Ensemble is a acoustic nine piece band. He founded in 2007 a trio with keyboard player Julien Padovani and drummer Eric Groleau, and the Dédales Ensemble (“Time Geography”, Poros éditions, 2013), played in duo with Michele Rabbia or Vincent Courtois,

In his mature style, the classical violin tradition and the swing lessons combine with a contemporary European sonic exploration ; his technical mastery and quick imagination allow him to move seamlessly between these worlds.

Dominique Pifarély created in 2014 a new quartet with Antonin Rayon on piano, Bruno Chevillon on double bass and François Merville on drums (“Tracé provisoire”, ECM, 2016), and gives solo recitals. Then he is part, since 2015, of the collaborative trio Sclavis/Pifarély/Courtois (“Asian fields variations”, ECM, 2017).

He regularly performs in whole Europe, and has been touring in USA, Canada, Japan, India, Middle East, Latin America or Africa.

 

Dominique Pifarély has collaborated with:

Carlos Zingaro, Gilles Zæppfel, Andreas Willers, Mike Westbrook, Jean-François Vrod, Dominique Visse, Tria Lingvo, Yves Torchinsky, Ti-Fock, Henri Texier, Aki Takase, Craig Taborn, Martial Solal, Louis Sclavis, Violaine Schwartz, Matthias Rüegg et le Vienna Art Orchestra, Didier Roussin, Wolfgang Reisinger, François Raulin, Michele Rabbia, Michel Portal, Jacky Molard, Baldo Martinez, Gérard Marais, Eddy Louiss, Didier Levallet, Hélène Labarrière, Joachim Kühn, Garth Knox, Heiri Känzig, François Jeanneau, Daniel Humair, Ronan Guilfoyle, Stéphane Grappelli, Michel Godard, Claude Favre, Pierre Favre, Marc Ducret, Christy Doran, Djiz, Philippe De Jonckheere, D’ de Kabal, Dominique Cravic, François Couturier, Vincent Courtois, François Corneloup, Bruno Chevillon, David Chevallier, Jean-Paul Celea, Fabrizio Cassol, Hugo Carvalhais, Patrice Caratini, François Bon, Lionel Benhamou, Pierre Baux, Stefano Battaglia, Denis Badault, Tim Berne, Marcel Azzola, Rabih Abou Khalil…

 

Ellis Hall is a multi-instrumentalist virtuoso who possesses a vocal style that commands attention in its diversity and depth.

Ellis Hall is a multi-instrumentalist virtuoso who possesses a vocal style that commands attention in its diversity and depth.

Born in Savannah, Georgia, Ellis moved to Boston at the age of five, where he began his musical career, and has been on a direct course for success ever since.

His first release as a solo artist was a version of the Motown smash from the 60's "Every Little Bit Hurts." His talents were showcased nationally and internationally with the Ellis Hall Group, opening for many top performers such as the Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, the Spinners and Natalie Cole.

Ellis was featured as lead vocalist on the debut hit single, "What Does it Take," from the Kenny G. multi-platinum "Duotones" album and joined the soul-stirring hit group Tower of Power as lead vocalist and keyboardist, culminating that stint with his co-production and song-writing prowess on their album, "Power." He had enormous success as one of the California Raisins with their platinum album, "The California Raisins Sing the Hit Songs," and a gold album, "Christimas With the California Raisins."

He has also lent his vocals and/or performed with such diverse artists as James Taylor, Warren Hill, George Duke, Michael Sembello, Huey Lewis and the News, Bo Diddley, Taj Mahal, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Kimball and ToTo, Jason Scheff of Chicago, Bobby Womack, James Ingram and Stevie Wonder.

Adding to his credits are a series of movie and television soundtracks as well as a variety of International radio and television jingles. He appeared in the award winning ABC TV show, "The Wonder Years"; performed vocals in "New York Undercover", Fox TV; "NYPD Blue", ABC TV; "Hercules", a Disney feature film; "Lion King II", Disney Home Video; DreamWorks animated feature film, "Chicken Run", singing the title track "Flip, Flop and Fly"; on screen as the organist in "Big Momma's House", with Martin Lawrence, a 20th Century Fox feature film; singing on screen in a scene with Tom Hanks in the Steven Spielberg movie by DreamWorks, "Catch Me If You Can", and his current films, "Bruce Almighty", Universal, "A Day Without A Mexican", Universal/BMG and "Polar Express", Warner Bros.

In 2003, for Camille Cosby's New Visionary Leadership Project honoring Mr. Ray Charles, Ellis performed "You Don't Know Me" at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. Ellis has also performed at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Millennium Stage, for his Leadership in Arts and Disability. He also performed a salute to Ray Charles at the Kennedy Center Honors Week-end.

At the Recording Academy's Inaugural Grammy Jam, in 2004, Ellis was featured in a rousing salute to Earth Wind & Fire and in 2005 he celebrated the Music of Stevie Wonder. He was also a featured performer in the Keb Mo Christmas Special, at Disney Hall, Los Angeles. In January, 2005, on the Bob James Showboat Cruise to Mexico, he was featured in several vocal duets with Michael McDonald and sang lead vocals with Tom Scott's LA Jazz All-Star Band.

In February 2005, Ellis Hall was featured at Concord Records Grammy Party which was later shown on the BET Special "Jammin' For Ray". In May 2005 he was featured along with Brian McKnight at The Revlon Run/Walk For Breast Cancer at the Los Angeles Colliseum and in August 2005, he performed with a host of stars in a commemoration for the 75th birthday of Ray Charles "A Night With Concord Records" at the Hollywood Bowl presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's Jazz at the Bowl series.

Ellis' colorful statements instrumentally and vocally can be found on his widely acclaimed debut solo album The Spirit Lingers On, a musical journey of highly inspirational soul featuring 12 original songs.

 

Séva, an internationally acclaimed French saxophonist, owes his creative thirst to a singular personal journey.

Séva, an internationally acclaimed French saxophonist, owes his creative thirst to a singular personal journey.

Unsurprisingly, his compositions illustrate his constant need to cross-pollinate and interbreed styles and cultures. Memories also hold a place of importance in Eric's music, in a constantly evolving personal world marked by his travels. Eric inherited this love of new horizons from his father. A musician at heart, Séva Sr. worked as ametal turner in a factory during the week and traded his overalls for a stage costume on the weekend at local dances. Music was so much at the heart of Eric's education that picking up an instrument seemed natural, and his father presented him with a recorder in 1969, at the tender age of five. By the mid seventies, Eric has traded his flute for a saxophone. This buoyant period saw the aspiring musician hone his melodic and harmonic skills with his father's band in local dance halls while pursuing classical studies at the Paris School of Music.

When most artists close their ears to popular tunes, Eric saw them as a way to communicate, as an inspiration that nourished his composing skills, eventually helping him launch his career in the jazz field at the end of his school curriculum. Cartoonist Jean Cabu, one of the victims of the recent Charlie Hebdo killings who happened to be a neighbor of the Séva's at the time, was instrumental in perfecting Eric's jazz education. Eric's encounter with Dave Liebman in 1989 was another decisive moment in his life. Within months, he had moved to New York in order to learn under the saxophone master who comforted him in his vision of the universality of music. Eric Séva has followed this motto ever since, while remaining faithful to his love of dance and rhythm when he writes. Although improvised music clearly was his priority -- as proved his tenure with the French National Jazz Orchestra from 2005 to 2008 --, Eric used the studio as a proving ground, appearing on dozens of albums by the likes of Didier Lockwood, Chris Réa, Thomas Fersen, David Krakauer, Celine Dion, Henri Salvador, Michel Legrand, Sylvain Luc, Khalil Chahine, as well as international pop sensation Zaz with whom he recently made a world tour.

Eric's interest in jazz has always been stirred by his love of freedom and hybridization. Eric typically widened his creative spectrum in 2005 when he recorded his first album, Folklores imaginaires, in which he explored the art of composing and improvising to the tune of his interior rhythm. His next recording, Espaces croisés, was hailed by critics four years later; Eric daringly showcased in it his mastery of the whole sax family, from the soprano to the baritone, asserting his creative independence in the way he projected his sound.

Several projects have followed since: Danse avec Bartók, Confluence (a translation for quartet and symphonic orchestra of Eric's desire to trigger a fruitful confrontation between the jazz and classical worlds), the Nomade sonore album (2015), which reminds us that its creator is a traveler at heart; in the near future, a tribute to the blues that will showcase Eric's wish to reincarnate the blue note and its heritage.

Like the world of dreams, Eric's musical realm is a translation of his imagination that transcends his relationship with the listener, making it possible for audiences to travel in his wake. And travel they do, with blissful glee.

Sebastian Danchin

 

Fabien Colella is an audiovisual and theater composer, and sound engineer.

Fabien Colella is an audiovisual and theater composer, and sound engineer.

Audiovisual composer, with more than 500 titles produced and produced for major music bookstore publishers (Universal Music, Koka Média, Encore Merci, Warner Chapell, CDM, Ax's Music), his music is used regularly for TV fictions, national and foreign broadcasts and documentaries; without forgetting TV ads, radio and TV covers and generic (Radio France, radio Nostalgie, Canal +, France 2).

Composer for the theater, he writes original music for many pieces, including pieces by Jacques Rampal, author awarded at the Molières.

A sound engineer, he collaborates both in the studio and live with artists and musicians as different as: Jean-Jacques Goldman, Francis Cabrel, Luc Plamandon, Romano Musumara, Vladimir Cosma, Janick Top, Serge Perathoner, E. Le Lann, Damien Schmitt, L. Loueke, Eva Marchal, Claude Salmiéri ...