TCHAK, recorded between 1998 and 2000 by Jean-Jacques Birgé, brings together the last recordings of Un Drame Musical Instantané with trumpeter Bernard Vitet, its co-founder in 1976 with Francis Gorgé and him. The guitarist left the group in 1992, but rejoined in 2014. Together with Birgé and writer Dominique Meens, Gorgé is preparing a new album in the fictional spirit of the original group. For TCHAK resembles nothing the Drame had ever produced, which is hardly surprising given the sheer variety and surprise of their works, from their instantaneous compositions to works written for their large band or symphony orchestras, from their film-concerts, for which they were at the origin of this revival, to their particularly eccentric musical theater pieces...
TCHAK is a kind of electro funk that begins with Le silence éternel des espaces infinis m'effraie, a duet between Birgé on machines and Vitet on flugelhorn, whose magnificent sound is legendary. This is followed by six tracks on which they are joined by guitarist Philippe Deschepper and turntablist Nem: Ça ira (with singer Baco), Stomp, (roots), Gaza, 1936, Vir-us. Vitet also dabbles in reggy, while Birgé plays synthesizer and sampler, reed trumpet and nose flute, erhu and Theremin.
This Drame, here fundamentally instrumental, closes with Machiavel Meeting, recorded live at Glaz'Art during a memorable evening that turned into a riot when so many people could not come in on November 18, 1998, for the launch party of the Machiavel CD. The quartet is joined by Yves Robert on trombone, Hervé Legeay on electric guitar, Didier Petit on cello, Olivier Koechlin on double bass and Étienne Auger on groovebox.
Étienne Mineur designed the superb cover.
Whether or not you're one of the lucky 200,000 who owned a Nabaztag rabbit or attended Nabaz'mob, the opera for 100 smart rabbits, you'll love Animal Opera, the new CD by Jean-Jacques Birgé. His recording this summer in Peru of L'aube à Shimiyacu (Dawn at Shimiyacu) in the Amazon rainforest inspired him to accompany it with two different versions of the opera he imagined with Antoine Schmitt in 2006. Each hutch had its own autonomy, just as each rabbit had its own free will. The fairy-tale, minimalist music of the 100 plastic robots contrasts with the noise or drone music produced by the elytra of strange insects. After a hundred or so albums, most recently his 100th Anniversary (1952-2052) and the 3 volumes of Pique-nique au labo with 48 soloists, this is Birgé's first album without any musicians, even at the controls. Absorbed in nature or entrusting the wi-fi to conduct an orchestra of a hundred mini-synthesizers, the polymath once again rediscovers the magic of his instant compositions.
Also on Bandcamp
Nabaz'mob website
APÉRO LABO #6 on December 8 at Studio GRRR
Sunday December 8 at 5 p.m., Studio GRRR, concert of the trio with JJB on machines, Catherine Delaunay on clarinet and Roberto Negro on piano. If you wish to come, write and we'll answer!
Titres, a new album is already available to listen to and download free of charge, recorded live on October 13, 2024 at Studio GRRR by JJB, with Hélène DURET on clarinets, Alexandre SAADA on piano and JJB...
PERSPECTIVES OF THE 22nd CENTURY on October 31, GENÈVE
Projection of the film directed by Jean-Jacques BIRGÉ, Nicolas CLAUSS, Sonia CRUCHON, Vélry FAIDHERBE, Jacques PERCONTE, John SANBORN, Eric VERNHES,
on the music of the CD by Jean-Jacques BIRGÉ
followed by an unissued suite
played by Jean-Jacques BIRGÉ (keyboard) and Amandine CASADAMONT (LPs). Amandine will play on the original LPs of the Constantin Brăiloiu's collection.
RADIO DRAME - Random Play
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
(beside 60 CD, LP and cassettes)
104 ALBUMS EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE
1577 free MP3 among which 1315 unissued
190 hours to listen to or download!
Half a century archives
Some album extracts
And the most recent pieces
the day after they've been recorded
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Buy also original GRRR Records (LP and CD) with their beautiful covers and librettos on this site!
Mainly LP 15€ / CD 12€ (+ postage)
77 albums are on Bandcamp too!!!