Eclectic global jazz quintet returns March 12th with their aptly titled fifth studio album, “5,” that will be supported with a U.S. concert tour
Love is a universal language and Paris Combo
confirms that music is as well. The five-piece French band that has
garnered global acclaim and an immense following for its unique mélange
of colorful cabaret, elegant jazz, multicultural world music and sassy
alterna-pop will release their fifth studio album, the appropriately
titled “5,” on March 12th on DRG Records. To support the diverse dozen songs in every shade of love written by the band and produced by Bénédicte Schmitt and Dominique Blanc-Francard, Paris Combo will embark on a 12-city U.S. concert trek launching April 19th in Cleveland, OH.
It has been since 2004 that Paris Combo released a new album, “Motifs,” which was supported with a concert tour that visited the iconic Hollywood Bowl where they were accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. The troupe consisting of chanteuse Belle du Berry, Potzi (guitar), François Jeannin (drums, percussion, vocals), and David Lewis
(trumpet, flugelhorn, piano) reunited in 2010 after a four-year hiatus
and spent a year writing, rehearsing and rediscovering their hallmark
sound. After adding new bassist Emmanuel Chabbey
to the lineup at the end of 2011, they returned to extensive touring
where they performed new material that evolved into “5” and delivered
another memorable show at Hollywood Bowl.
"In
2006, we gave ourselves the luxury of taking a break from touring and
recording so each of us could return to his or her individual musical
sources - a breathing space to allow inspiration to happen. Four years
later, we reunited in a rehearsal studio - in Paris of course - and
without even playing our previous repertoire, together we started
composing new songs. The group's chemistry was magic straightaway. Right
from the first notes, the chords, the melodies, and the grooves sounded
spontaneous and naturally like ‘Paris Combo.’ It was like a reunion
with an old friend. The tone was set and we knew we would have fun
co-writing our new material and exploring all the different aspects of
the group's identity - the ‘Paris Combo style,’” said du Berry, whose
lyrical muse remains love.
On
“5,” du Berry ruminates on the crazy extremes of amour sung in her
native French: love at first sight, love lost, broken love, the dream of
love, the brilliance of love, “volcanic anger” produced by love, love’s
persistence and love’s enduring immortality. Behind her alternately
aching, playful, graceful, tantalizing, and always alluring vocals, the
band, with the assistance of a three-piece string section, sets
captivating backdrops and intriguing sound collages constructed from
artsy Europop, rambunctious riffs, smoky jazz, charismatic cabaret,
swinging grooves, exotic Latin, African and rumba rhythms, and mystical
Middle Eastern and gypsy nuances.
Lewis
said, “We are thrilled to be releasing ‘5’ in the U.S. We have always
felt very much appreciated by audiences there and we are thoroughly
looking forward to touring there again. After 15 or so tours, the States
are an important part of the group's story.”
Paris
Combo’s story began in the early ‘90s when du Berry, Potzi and Jeannin
first performed together in Paris as members of a quirky retro revue
before going on to collaborate at the closing ceremony of the
Albertville Winter Olympic Games in 1992. Lewis joined the fold in 1994
and the outfit honed their sound playing in cafes and on barges along
the Seine. Their self-titled 1997 debut disc arrived as the swing
revival was in full bloom and instantly appealed to fans internationally
while generating critical praise yet the band’s wide-ranging mix set
them apart. The movement multiplied with the release of their sophomore
outing, “Living Room,” which went gold in France in 2000. Their third set, “Attraction,”
attracted more followers the following year and was followed by a live
album in conjunction with extensive concert tours in the U.S., Europe,
Asia and Australia.
To
get a taste of the fun, free-spirited musical dish served by Paris
Combo, behind the scenes video clips were shot for two tracks from “5”:
“Je Te Vois Partout” http://youtu.be/TXUlmKI3mIU
The songs that comprise Paris Combo’s “5” are:
“Je Te Vois Partout”
“Lux”
“Goodbye Pinocchio”
“Tout Excusé"”
“Comptez Sur Moi”
“Les Cailloux Blancs”
“Chaque Fois”
“Le Magasin de Porcelaine”
“Morphée”
“Mediumisons”
“Ce Que J'aime C'est Le Début”
“Fantôme Adoré”
Catch Paris Combo live at the following U.S. concert dates (additional dates may be added):
April 19 Cleveland, OH Museum of Art
April 20 Bloomington, IN Buskirk-Chumley Theater
April 21 Chicago, IL City Winery
April 23 Indianapolis, IN The Cabaret at the Columbia Club
April 24 Livermore, CA Bankhead Theater
April 26 San Francisco, CA California Institute of Integral Studies
April 27 Santa Monica, CA The Broad Stage
April 28 Irvine, CA Soka Performing Arts Center
April 30 New York, NY Joe’s Pub
May 1 Reston, VA Center Stage at Reston Community Center
May 2 Brooklyn, NY Littlefield
May 3 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center
For more information about Paris Combo, please visit www.pariscombo.com.
Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
Jazz from Amazon.com
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?,
the new album from internationally recognized jazz artist Kristin Korb
answers that very question with 12 timeless tunes that celebrate her
story as a jazz vocalist and bassist. What’s Your Story?
will be released on Korb’s own label, Double K Music in the U.S. and
Europe on April 2, 2013. The album will be available oniTunes, Amazon,
CD Baby, 
