Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Amazing Keystone Big Band / André Manoukian / Big Band Brass / Sarah Lenka and Macha Gharibian

Dee Dee Bridgewater rose to prominence in France in the mid-80s when she took on the role of Billie Holiday in the musical entitled Lady Day. Ever since, she has ceaselessly paid tribute to the great jazz divas who preceded her. Her new project, in partnership with the aptly named Amazing Keystone Big Band, is devoted to the virtuoso lyricism of the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald. The Amazing Keystone Big Band was crowned band of the year at Les Victoires du Jazz and described as “the best news in jazz for the past 10 years” by Le Monde. Its 17 musicians, led by Bastien Ballaz, Jon Boutellier, Fred Nardin and David Enhco, are behind this new, tailor-made version of their album, We Love Ella.

Alongside the Amazing Keystone Big Band, Dee Dee Bridgewater will lend her warm, swinging voice to a handful of standards forever associated with Ella’s genius, thereby re-establishing their steadfast validity.

Line-up :

• Dee Dee Bridgewater (voix)
• Bastien Ballaz (direction artistique)
• Fred Nardin (direction artistique)
• Jon Boutellier (direction artistique)
• David Enhco (direction artistique)
• Kenny Jeanney (saxophone)
• Pierre Desassis (saxophone)
• Jon Boutellier (saxophone)
• Eric Prost (saxophone)
• Ghyslain Regard (saxophone)
• Vincent Labarre (trompette)
• Thierry Seneau (trompette)
• Félicien Bouchot (trompette)
• David Enhco (trompette)
• Loïc Bachevillier (trombone)
• Bastien Ballaz (trombone)
• Aloïs Benoit (trombone)
• Sylvain Thomas (trombone)
• Thibaut François (guitare)
• Fred Nardin (piano)
• Patrick Maradan  (contrebasse)
• Romain Sarron (batterie)

For almost 20 years, André Manoukian has made repeated appearances on the television and radio, during which his commentary, both malicious and erudite, has been inimitable. Yet, as talented as he may be at sharing his passion for all forms of music, Manoukian is first and foremost a talented musician, a jazz pianist, the creator of the Cosmo Jazz Festival, a songwriter and above all, since the mid-80s, a producer turned expert at showcasing women’s voices (from Liane Foly’s to Malia’s).

His latest project with Anouch is without doubt his most daring and personal yet and has him leading a large orchestral ensemble. His regular quartet has teamed up with vocal trio Balkanes and, especially for Jazz à Vienne, a choir from Vienne called Livizz that is directed by Frédérique Brun. Manoukian takes a dive into the most intimate depths of his family annals, which he sets to luxuriant rhythms borrowed from Eastern traditions. Through its evocation of his grandmother and the long trek of over 1000 km she had to undertake during the Armenian genocide, André Manoukian’s work is deeply moving, both intimate and epic, sensual and melancholic, rich with the vivid memory of a martyred, phoenix-like people.

Line-up :

• André Manoukian (piano)
• Milena Jeliazkova (chant)
• Martine Sarazin (chant)
• Diana Barzeva (chant)
• Guillaume Latil (violoncelle)
• Rostom Khachikian (Duduk)
• Mosin Kawa (Tabla)

Since its foundation at the dawn of the 2000s, the Big Band Brass, a colossal formation of 21 musicians whose orchestration satisfies all the codes of traditional jazz’ great orchestras, has never failed to draw on new sources of inspiration and to explore new territory through countless, prestigious collaborations with artists from all walks of life (from Nicole Croisille to Didier Lockwood, Nathalie Dessay and most recently Ben L’Oncle Soul...). Always masterfully led by its founder, trumpeter and arranger Dominique Rieux, Big Band Brass will be returning to its roots in this exceptional concert by sharing the stage with two of the most stylish voices in contemporary French jazz: saxophonists Baptiste Herbin and Géraldine Laurent (Génération Spedidam artists). A summit meeting for a celebration of the essential virtues of jazz: lyricism and swing!

Line-up :

• Dominique Rieux (direction musicale, trompette)
• Gead Mulheran (chant)
• Géraldine Laurent (saxophone alto)
• Baptiste Herbin (saxophone)
• Christophe Mouly (saxophone)
• Jean-Michel Cabrol (saxophone)
• Ferdinand Doumerc (saxophone)
• David Pautric (saxophone)
• David Cayrou (saxophone)
• Tony Amouroux (trompette)
• Nicolas Gardel (trompette)
• Alain Cazcarra (trompette)
• Jérôme Capdepont (trombone)
• Rémi Vidal (trombone)
• Michel Chalot (trombone)
• Olivier Lachurie (trombone)
• Florent Hortal (guitare)
• Thierry Gonzalez (piano, clavier)
• Julien Duthu (basse)
• André Neufert (batterie)

When they first started performing together, both of this duo’s women were already seasoned leaders with strong and original styles. While pianist Macha Gharibian, who will be celebrating her début album’s tenth anniversary this year, has developed a cosmopolitan style rooted in her Franco-Armenian heritage and deep understanding of jazz and classical music, singer Sarah Lenka has been working on a huge social and musical project celebrating female figures, from great singers like Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday to the too-often forgotten Black women of US slavery. While both have strong ties with jazz, it would be wrong to assume that any single style can pin them down. In their moving dialogue, only emotion counts.

Line-up :

• Sarah Lenka (voix)
• Macha Gharibian (piano)