Renaud Garcia-Fons : 5 string double basses, percussions, voice, keyboards.
Stéphan Caracci : drums, vibraphone.
Solea Garcia-Fons : voice

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CINEMATIC DOUBLE BASS
CD 1 In a Jazzy Mood
Music for imaginary films
CD2 In a Spirit of Travel
Music for imaginary films

As we were going into lockdown for the first time - and a whole season of cancelled concerts -  Frédéric Leibovitz of Cezame Music Agency came up with an exciting proposal:
"Why don't you do another thematic album like Méditerranées ten years ago, all based around the double bass, we could call it Cinematic Bass?”
First off, we were drawn to the film noir soundtracks of the 50s and 60s, in which the “walking” double bass would inevitably accompany the suspense, the chase, the anxious nocturnal doubts and fears... whether in French or American gangster films, B movies or the Nouvelle Vague. Film composition has, for decades, successfully yielded to the influence of jazz. Now we are seeing the emergence of wider influences: world music, east and west,
the continent of Africa…
The double bass is a multi-facetted instrument and can be played in many ways - pizzicato, bowed, pizz d'arco, percussion and used with many different effects - which allowed the project to diversify, taking in new colours and opening up a great variety of soundscapes and moods. 
Drums, vibraphone, voice, percussion and the occasional keyboard complete these orchestrations resolutely centred on the multiplicity of the double bass, from lows to extremely highs, every aspect of the instrument. Dare I say it? In all its glory.
You have in your hands the results of this exploration, under the generic title of Cinematic Double Bass, 44 pieces grouped in 2 Cds, In a Jazzy Mood, and In a Spirit of
Travel, two collections of music for films yet to be made...

CD 1 In a Jazzy Mood
1. Breakneck Speed 2’32
2. Across the Golden Gate 3’34
3. Small Screen Girls 1’59
4. Jungle Drums Swinging Bass 3’33
5. The Thrill of the Chase 3’01
6. Film Noir Blues 3’27
7. The Suspense Is Killing 2’44
8. Whistle By Night 3’16
9. Motor Town Groove 5’21
10. Close Up View 3’24
11. Snap ‘n’ Scat 3’28
12. On the Prowl Again 4’00
13. Silver Fingers 2’25
14. Down Home Blues 1’56
15. Easy As Pie 1’53
16. City of Embers 2’50
17. Good Time Swing 1’43
18. Waiting for Nothing at All 3’24
19. Running Scared 2’42
20. Like a Déjà Vu 2’51
21. Window Shopping 3’53
22. Detective Movie Addiction 3’02

CD2 In a Spirit of Travel
1. Travel Wide Travel Wild 3’08
2. Nowruz Celebration 3’21
3. Savanna Rainfall 2’44
4. Long Distance Run 4’02
5. Jewish Tarantella 2’49
6. Lemurian Groove 2’07
7. Global Village Dweller 5’10
8. Soledad del Exilio 2’15
9. Imaginary Folk Dance 4’43
10. Djumbo Steps 3’36
11. The Open Road 3’11
12. City Night Stalking 2’17
13. Bossa Nicely 3’56
14. Invitation au Voyage 3’01
15. No More Moarnin’ 3’20
16. Narita Express 3’48
17. Ice and Fire 2’30
18. Towards a New World 2’56
19. Unknown Adventure 4’15
20. Desert Reflection 2’44
21. Beyond the Dream 3’58
22. Going Home 3’12

Recorded and mixed @ Studio Arcoluz, Villemomble

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS - CINEMATIC DOUBLE BASS
CEZAME / L'AUTRE DISTRIBUTION
Release December 2023

Renaud Garcia-Fons : 5 string double bass (Oriental bass model by Jean Auray), percussion on double bass, compositions and arrangements

Claire Antonini : theorbo by Klaus Jacobsen, 13 course baroque lute by Paul Thomson, soprano lute by Didier Jarny
.

1. Sylvains d’Orient
2. Reng-é shotor
3. Chacone
4. Tavalod
5. Nove alla turca
6. Pavane du levant
7. À chaque instant
8. Comme un derviche amoureux
9. Ricercare
10. Le sommeil de Majnûn .
11. Capona
12. Ballo cavalino
13. Dirouz
14. Légende persane
15. Tchahar mezrab
16. Toledo del Greco .
17. Sfesseina Danse
18. Sahneh mountains
19. Tocsin de Palmyre

Recorded and mixed @ Studio Arcoluz, Villemomble

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS - FARANGI
E-MOTIVE RECORDS / L'AUTRE DISTRIBUTION
Sortie Fevrier 2019
EMO191

Renaud Garcia-Fons & Claire Antonini, two exceptional musicians, formed a duo several years ago.
Their music has been enriched over time, each musician bringing unique experiences and passions for early music, jazz, and oriental music in the broadest sense.
The love for melody, for the rhythms of ancient traditions, for modal music expression, combine to give this project its unique sound.
The repertoire of 19 short pieces, primarily original compositions, are miniatures, describing imaginary travel to a cultural crossroads.
Here the double bass sounds like a ney, the theorbo like a setar.
Both voices are heard, yet the rich combination of timbres and modes of playing are ever renewed in the orchestrations.
Farangi, the foreigner in Persian, the traveler coming from west, wishes to celebrate and share this natural connection, the pleasure of soul that connects different music styles, as a universal language speaking to everyone’s heart.

Renaud García-Fons 5 strings double bass
David Venitucci accordion
Stephan Caracci vibes, drums

1 - Les rues vagabondes 4'16
2 - Revoir Paris 3'29
3 - Je prendrai le métro 3'02
4 - Montmartre en courant 5'34
5 - Le long de la Seine 4'46
6 - La vie devant soi 7'47
7 - Après la pluie 5'39
8 - Monsieur Taxi 6'14
9 - Si ça te dit… 4'53
10 - Les écoliers 5'12
11 - Élégie de Novembre 4'52

Recorded and mixed @ Studio Arcoluz, Villemomble -
Composed by Renaud García-Fons

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS - LA VIE DEVANT SOI
E-MOTIVE RECORDS / L'AUTRE DISTRIBUTION
Release Feb 3rd 2017 - EMO161

It was perhaps inevitable that one day, the intrepid musical explorer Renaud Garcia-Fons would come back his native Paris, cosmopolitan capital, cultural crossroads for artists of all nationalities to which city the Franco-Catalan bassist dedicates his new album La vie devant soi. The title is from the book by Ajar/Gary, which tells of “the extraordinary bond between a little Arab orphan and a Jewish mama”.
For this project Garcia-Fons has brought together David Venitucci (accordion) and Stephen Caracci (vibes and percussion) accomplices in innovation and experimentation on the margins of jazz. The underlying idea, essential to the Garcia-Fons credo, being “to create a kind of chamber music, to play together, searching for nuances and sound textures from an acoustic base”.
Known for his mastery of flamenco, his musical expeditions to India and the East, his love for the Mediterranean basin, Renaud Garcia-Fons felt the need to go elsewhere. Here he’s following the chronology of a multi-faceted city from the 19th. Century French School to Parisian Jazz. “If I only made Mediterranean or oriental music, I’d be limiting myself; I’ve got more than that in my luggage. I was listening to Satie and Debussy long before I heard Munir Bashir…”
And what we get are eleven discreet Parisian scenes. A nose-tapping tip of the hat to Prévert, Doisneau, Michel Simon. From the busy,bustling Montmartre en Courant to the achingly moving Le long de la Seine. Groove and poetry, nostalgia and pure cheek….an ode to humanity

Jean-Stephane Brosse

Renaud García-Fons five strings double bass
Dorantes piano

 1. Molto enrollado (Bulerias)           5'15"
2. Palabras de ensueño (Malagueña) 7'47"
3. Entre las rosas (Guajiras)             3'32"
4. En el crisol de la noche (Soleà)    6'21"
5. Mar y rayo (Garrotin y Livianas)   9'05"
6. Como sueño infantil (Siguirilla)    4'39"
7. El rio os espera (Tangos)                9'12"
8. La promesa del alba (Rondeña)    8'36"
9. Amanecer                              3'09"

Recorded @ Studio Dorantes, Sévilla - Spain
Mixad  @ Studio Arcoluz, Villemomble - France

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS & DORANTES - PASEO A DOS
E-MOTIVE RECORDS / L'AUTRE DISTRIBUTION
Release October 16th, 2015
EMO151

Paseo a dos, a virtuoso album travelling from jazz to flamenco

If you get out of the paths on which everyone walks, you necessarily end up by arriving where nobody else has stepped. You can also meet fellow travelers, virtuoso alchemists animated by the same desire to sublimate their art.

Renaud Garcia Fons and Dorantes are both of this kind ; inevitable, their meeting was transcendent and it is a huge privilege to witness this. A music born under the sun, imbued with the whole heritage of flamenco, generous range of rhythmic atmospheres, evocative melodies, that carries with it the impetuosity of the torrent and the serenity of the great river.
Power and sensuality, pure emotions distilled with panache by this duet, running out of the standards.

Michel Perrier - www.jazzrhonealpes.com

Renaud García-Fons five strings double bass
Derya Türkan kemence

 1. Silk Moon 3'38
2. A girl from Istanbul 5'00
3. Istanbul'da bir Ispanyol 4'58
4. Kaman Tché 4'16
5. Bahar Zamani 2'57
6. Prayer Song 5'10
7. Konstantinoupoli Reflections 3'35
8. Dokuz Sekiz 2'26
9. Camino de Sed (dedicated to Paco de Lucia) 3'30
10. Bosphorus Nostalgia 3'04
11. Nishapur 2'18
12. Beautiful House in Bad Homburg 4'17
13. Lamentos 7'10
14. Taksim Clouds 3'57
TOTAL : 56'38

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS & DERYA TÜRKAN - SILK MOON
E-MOTIVE RECORDS / L'AUTRE DISTRIBUTION
Release November 10th, 2014
EMO141

Renaud García-Fons met Derya Türkan when they played together with famous turkish Ney player Kudsi Erguner in 2006.
After all these years, they simply and obviously had the envy to record together again.

Their music is fed by eastern, mediterranean and latin influences, inspired by the lyrical expression and the deep chant from the tradition of Oriental Maqam and Andalusian Cante Jondo and based on their own compositions.

Their two instruments, the kemence and the double bass are the smallest and the tallest instruments played with bows and they together astonishingly and naturally sound as a complete orchestra.
Renaud and Derya both plays them way beyond the usual tradition to discover new musical spaces, rhythmic, subtle and poetic.

With its unheard instrumentation, this duet leads to an intense moment of emotion and musical passion.

Renaud Garcia-Fons 5 strings double bass

01 En mi barrio - Unreleased previously (1 :57)
02 Aljamiado - from “Méditerranées” 2010 (5:05)
03 Oriental Bass - from “Oriental Bass” 1997 (6:34)
04 Berimbass - from Live CD/DVD  “Arcoluz” 2005 (6:07)
05 Entremundo - from “Entremundo” 2004 (3:58)
06 La Línea del Sur - from “La Línea del Sur” 2009 (6:11)
07 Wadi Rum - from “Navigatore” 2001 (5:23)
08 Hommage à Ostad - from “Oriental Bass” 1997 (6:34)
09 Al Camarón - from “Alboreá” 1997 (5:07)
10 Palermo Notturno - from live CD/DVD “The Marcevol Concert” 2012 (6:25)
11 Funambule - from “Légendes” 1993 (2:56)
12 Camino de Felicidad - Unreleased previously (4:00)
13 Bari - from “Fuera” 1999 (3:05)
14 Voyage à Jeyhounabad - from live CD/DVD “The Marcevol Concert”  2012 (5:54)

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS, BEYOND THE DOUBLE BASS
CD/DVD ENJA
Release, November 19th, 2013

An incredible journey through a 20 years and 10 albums artistic huge success, with an unreleased movie about Renaud Garcia-Fons

1. Hacía Compostela
2. Palermo Notturno
3. Kalimbass
4. Marcevol
5. Bajo de Guía
6. Pilgrim
7. Voyage à Jeyhounabad
8. Yupanqui
9. Far Ballad
10. Kurdish Mood
11. Rock Wandering
12. Peregrino 

 - “The Marcevol Concert”
« The one and thousand voices of  the double bass »
The whole CD/DVD is made with double bass, if some pieces are written for the instrument alone, the loops in others allows a real multiplication of the instrument.
These loops were recorded with sounds made only with the double bass: percussion, harmonics, voicings, pizzicatti... A real evolutionary orchestration!

The inspiration travels from east to west and from ancient music to contemporary music : medieval (Marcevol) ; barocco (Hacía Compostela) ; eastern (Voyage à Jeyhounabad) ; african (Kalimbass) ; latino (Yupanqui) ; rock, blues (Rock Wandering) ; spanish (Bajo Flamenco)…

Renaud makes his dream comes  true : playing with the double bass a universal  instrument, a real orchestra on his own, exploring all technics from bow to pizzicatto

Music is a matter of vibrations, Renaud found at "Prieure de Marcevol"  the ideal place to record with its well balanced sound and just eough natural reverberation, suitable to get the spiritual and festive inspiration
As Renaud says it, it's an invitation to "an imaginary travel with a double bass through space and time."

Renaud García-Fons compositions and arrangements, double basses, tanbur, udu, bendir, cajon, daf, palmas
Claire Antonini baroque lute, theorbo, târ, zither, bozouki
David Venitucci accordion
Kiko Ruiz flamenco guitar, palmas
Adel Shams el-din rik, derbouka
Bruno Caillat zarb, rik, daf
Bruno Sansalone clarinets
Henri Tournier bansuris, alto flute, bass and octobass
Solea García-Fons vocal in "Los Secretos

1. Aljamiado 05:07 | 2. Luces De Lorca 03:30 | 3. Fortaleza 04:43 | 4. Los Secretos 02:12 | 5. Las Ramblas 02:39 | 6. La Demoiselle De Céret 01:39 | 7. Camp D'argeles 04:32 | 8. La Strada 03:13 | 9. Romsarom 03:23 | 10. Iraklio 03:53 | 11. Dalmatia 03:08 | 12. Mythologie 03:29 | 13. Bosphore 04:51 | 14. Bekaa 02:51 | 15. Hmar Nadir 02:33 | 16. Sinaï 04:57 | 17. Safran 05:10 | 18. Poussiere De Ksar 04:06
Total time: 65'56 

Renaud Garcia-Fons - SOLO“The project of a musical voyage grew slowly with me – I guess it has to do with my Spanish and Italian roots. The trip that we take here begins on the most Southern tip of Spain, progresses along the Northern Mediterranean coast until it reaches the Bosporus, turns south to the Lebanon, then Egypt and winds up on the North – African side of the Gibraltar straits. There is nothing ethno-musical or touristy on this journey but simply the desire to be led on the passionate path propelled by the melodies. Melody is at any rate the connecting link of all Mediterranean people! I began each composition with simple melodies, sometimes solemn, but also joyful, dancing or meditative – each time another possibility to dig into an emotion, a scent or an atmosphere. On each step a new rhythm, a new orchestration, sketches of images, fragments of different lifes surface. This voyage is an exploration of the chain that links East and West in the sense the forgotten language Aljamiado ( literature spoken in Spanish but written in the Arabic consonant language) to which the first piece is dedicated.“ -- Renaud García-Fons The career of the extraordinary bassist develops rapidly. Each new release by him is watched with great attention as it throws yet another light on his musical cosmos. And now he turns more and more toward his Mediterranean roots. His 5-string technique on the double bass is unsurpassed and admired globally. After his solid European success (ECHO prize category bass in Germany 2010) he now stretches out crossing the Atlantic (front cover of US Bassman magazine) on his fourth tour through the USA and Canada within three years. At most welcome surprise is the participation of his 17 year old daughter Solea who does the vocal on Los Secretos.

Renaud Garcia-Fons 5-string double bass
David Venitucci accordion
Kiko Ruiz flamenco guitar
Pascal Rollando percussion
Esperanza Fernández vocals

There are multiple sources for his musical inspiration – he feels as close to the music of the Mediterranean and Orient as to the flamenco tradition, which he has transposed for the double bass. Since his album “Entremundo” (2004) the flamenco has even become a main source of his artistic imagination. On “La Línea del Sur”, his eighth album for ENJA, Renaud Garcia-Fons explores “the roads of an imaginary South”, as he puts it, “a dreamland rooted in a multitude of musical traditions.” Presenting haunting melodies, refined interweavings and thrilling rhythms, Renaud’s compositions and arrangements perfectly serve a band format (bass, accordion, guitar, percussion) that is very similar to that of his first album “Alboreá” (bass, accordion, bass, percussion). While all of the players in this “imaginary flamenco” band are individual soloists and soulful “singers” on their instruments, the music also features a real flamenco singer as a plus: Esperanza Fernandez, a grand voice of flamenco, makes a unique contribution to a musical idiom that expands the frontiers of Andalucía all the way to the New World”, says Renaud. The words he wrote for her are inspired by Rumi, a mediaeval Persian poet and mystic. So once again Renaud Garcia-Fons unites artistic traditions from very different countries – and times – and he does so in the most artistic, virtuosic, enjoyable way.

1. La Línea Del Sur 07:21
2. Caballera De Mi Amor 06:20
3. Gare Saint Charles 04:03
4. Valsería 04:30
5. El Agua De La Vida 05:28
6. La Silhouette 05:14
7. Nada 02:00
8. Agua Dulce 04:53
9. Cante Del Barco 03:20
10. Veré 06:27
11. Enamorada 03:14

Total time: 52'50

1. Arcoluz 03:02
2. Berimbass 06:08 
3. Anda Loco 13:57 
4. 40 Días 07:12
5. Gitanet 08:47 
6. Entremundo 11:02
7. Entre Continentes 12:35
Total time: 62'43

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS - ARCOLUZ - CD + DVD
ORDER NO. ENJ-9478 2
Renaud Garcia-Fons 5-string double bass
Kiko Ruiz flamenco guitar
Negrito Trasante drums, percussion

French bass virtuoso Renaud Garcia-Fons has grown into a living legend, both for his breathtaking technique and intonation as well as his talent as a composer. A dazzling performer on five strings, he uses his instrument's entire range, thus dominating the music and making the bowed double bass sound rather like a cello or a violin. When listening to his percussive speed pizzicato or his sweeping arco flageolets, the breadth of his capabilities becomes evident immediately. As a composer Garcia-Fons likes to take the listener on a gypsy's journey through the Mediterranean area, especially Andalusia, then Brittany, Latin America, India, the Arab world and even into European classical music of the past. Although incorporating influences from far and wide, his compositions are always focussed and efficient and keep to the spirit of charming chamber music. As Nils Jacobson wrote about Garcia-Fons' last album, "Entremundo": "Each piece contains its own detailed narrative. Elements of the music might seem familiar, but just palpably so, and never in an obvious way. Just let the music ebb and flow, carrying echoes of places distant and not so far away. A beautiful experience."
"ArcoLuz", the first live album after six studio recordings on ENJA, powerfully captures the fire and emotionality of Renaud Garcia-Fons' vibrant concert performance. With the core trio of "Entremundo" -- including upcoming flamenco star-stringer "Kiko" Ruiz and drummer "Negrito" Trasante of Gipsy Kings-fame --, Garcia-Fons delivers seven of his thrilling Spanish-influenced pieces, four of them being brand new. His trio's highly inspired, forceful and expressive performance, caught at Germany's Schloss Elmau in summer 2005, is not only presented on a first-class CD recording but can also be seen on a 85-minute DVD video disc directed by Nicolas Dattilesi. With subtitles in four languages and bonus tracks included, the DVD is further proof for Renaud Garcia-Fons' and his trio's extraordinary musicianship and deep-felt emotions. "He's in a position to unite nations of music lovers" (AllAboutJazz.com).

1. Sueño Vivo 04:45 
2. Crístobal 04:49 
3. Entremundo 03:58 
4. Mahoor 04:03 
5. 40 Días 04:41 
6. Entre Continentes 06:55 
7. Mursiya 00:49 
8. Rosario 05:12 
9. Doust 01:41 
10. Sarebân 05:54
11. Aqâ Jân 07:49
Total time: 50'36

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS
ENTREMUNDO
ORDER NO. ENJ-9464 2
Renaud Garcia-Fons 5-string bass
Jorge "Negrito" Trasante drums, percussion
Antonio Ruiz "Kiko" flamenco guitar
Guests: Henri Tournier bansuri, flutes
Claire Antonini târ, baroque lute
Gaston Sylvestre cymbalon
Angel Sanchez-Gonzalez palmas
Bruno Caillat tablas, dâf, kanjeera
Philippe Slovinsky trumpet
Allen Hoist tenor sax

From 1987 to 1993 Renaud Garcia-Fons was part of the unique French all-bass ensemble L'Orchestre de Contrebasses before starting his journey as a soloist that led to his instrument's full emancipation. "I have developed a new language for it," says Garcia-Fons, "so it appears to be a Spanish guitar by imitating the rasgueado in one moment, then sounding like the guembri, the bass instrument of the Berbers, or again it can sing like a viola or a Persian violin." Arguably the most amazing double bass player in the world, Garcia-Fons is known for his overwhelming virtuosity, his Mediterranean melodic sense and his charming con-arco sound. Garcia-Fons shows a wide array of influences including not only jazz and classical but also flamenco, new musette, tango, Celtic, Andalusian, African, Latin American, Arabic and Indian traditions. His unique artistry led to many exciting and successful collaborations with other globally minded players like Rabih Abou-Khalil, Michael Riessler, Dhafer Youssef, Nguyên Lê, Gérard Marais, Pedro Soler, Cheb Mami and Michel Godard.
On his latest album, "Navigatore" (2001), Garcia-Fons was assisted by 22 international musicians who brilliantly performed his evocative original material. World music magazine "Rhythm" read: "A triumphant celebration of international composition; not to mention Garcia-Fons' emotive, often multi-tracked, 5-string contrabass playing. Along with layers of bass textures, he intelligently juxtaposes a wide array of multinational influences, traversing the globe in service of his unique musical vision. Garcia-Fons' command of orchestration, expert musical penmanship and profound skills as an instrumentalist place him in an echelon truly deserving of the accolade 'genius.'"
In the tradition of his prize-winning albums "Oriental Bass" and "Navigatore", Garcia-Fons concentrates on a flamenco-influenced core group on "Entremundo." The three of them explore what might be called a global vision based in the musical sounds of Andalusia. On their trip they are assisted in changing personnels by a bunch of experienced world music and jazz players who add a wide range of additional colors such as bansuri, cymbalon, lute, tablas, trumpet and handclapping. On his sixth album for ENJA, Garcia-Fons focuses his talents in an burning artistic statement that is at the same time pleasingly listenable and daringly visionary.
Robert Kaye, Global Rhythm Magazine

1. Navigatore 07:22 
2. Wadi Rum (Introduction) 01:18
3. Wadi Rum 05:23
4. Fui Piedra 05:38 
5. Sahari 08:23 
6. Bolbol 05:07 
7. Alto Pais (Introduction) 01:17 
8. Alto Pais 05:02 
9. Monajat 04:27 
10. Ultimo Fandango 04:26 
11. Tavakkol 05:05 
12. Vagabundo 04:08 
13. Chokr 01:32
14. Mohabbat 04:46
Total time: 63'54

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS - NAVIGATORE
ORDER NO. ENJ-9418 2
Chris Hayward flutes
Yves Favre trombone
Jean-Louis Matinier accordion
Kudsi Erguner ney
Karim Ziad gumbri
Rabah Khalfa derbouka, carcabas
Bruno Caillat tablas, dâf
Patrice Héral drums
Pierre Hamon bagpipes, recorder
Françoise Couvert violin
Franck Pichon violin
Bruno Sansalone clarinet
Laurent Malet fluegelhorn
Claire Antonini lute, târ, saz a. m.
Hakan Gungor kanoun
Dahmane Khalfa carcabas, tbel a. m.
Adel Shams El Dine rek
Jorge Trasante drums, bombo a. m.
Franck Tortiller marimba, gongs a.m.
Antonio Ruiz "Kiko" flamenco guitar
Philippe Couvert violin
Renaud Garcia-Fons 5-string bass

The most amazing double bass player of our times, Renaud Garcia-Fons is known for his overwhelming virtuosity, his Mediterranean melodic sense and his viola-like con-arco sound. A student of the legendary Syrian bassist François Rabbath, Garcia-Fons is not only influenced by jazz and classical music, but also by flamenco, new musette, tango, Bretonian, Andalusian, African, Latin American, Arabic and Indian traditions. His unique artistry led to many exciting and successful collaborations with other open-minded players like Rabih Abou-Khalil, Michael Riessler, Dhafer Youssef, Nguyên Lê, Gérard Marais, Pedro Soler and Michel Godard.
In the tradition of his visionary album "Oriental Bass" of 1997, Garcia-Fons' joyful east-western synthesis comes to a climax on "Navigatore" that features 22 different players in a string of powerful original compositions. An epic and compelling ensemble music, "Navigatore" displays a wide spectrum of moods and grooves using even Spanish, Bretonian, Arabic and Indian instruments. Says Garcia-Fons: "Each composition tells a story - the story of a life, a round trip - somehow as if we would pass successively through several existences in time and place. In the sequence of these 12 compositions I have tried to evoke memories of imaginary lives which happened in the orient and the occident, yesterday and before yesterday. The double bass personifies a voice with different shadings - a voice of a being in transition."
Robert Kaye, Global Rhythm Magazine

Melting jazz improvisation, subtle and touching melodies, Renaud Garcia-Fons & Jean-Louis Matinier delights their audience with their rich universe