--- Laurent Coq ---

Concerts

06/21/08 in Noisy le Sec with Pierrick Pedron
06/28/08 at Bardélo, Paris, duo with Yoni Zelnik
07/01/08 at Jazz à Vienne (France) with Sophie Alour
- New York summer - from 07/10/08 to 09/21/08
07/13/08 at Circke 57, New York

Bird's Improvisation #1

This movie was shot on Friday the 13th of June 2008. It shows a total improvisation with dancer and choreographer Toshiko Oiwa.

Originally from Japan, she's spent 11 years in New York in the 90's where she has danced with Twyla Tharp first, and then the Bill T Jones company with which she has toured the world. From 2002 to 2005, she stayed in Aix en Provence, south of France, where she worked under Preljocaj's direction. She now focuses on more personal projects, and just obtained a grant from Japan for an extensive stay in Brazil.

We met last year through my friend Vincent Sacripanti, even though I saw her in a Bill T Jones show some years ago. We had talked about doing this for a while. When we met this day, we decided to not give each other any direction at all, and instead to leave this performance totally open. The fact that I play without directly seeing her was the only thing we agreed upon before starting which allowed me to stay connected to her dancing in a much more organic way. Seeing her, in fact, would have been way too distractive.

This experience took me back to when I was myself in New York and was getting so much from its unique energy. I felt very much connected to the moment and to her dancing while quite oblivious of myself in the same time.

Kind of like playing with a killing rhythm section. Her dancing is very deep. Deep like music can be. When it reaches such a high level of artistry, it gives me the same satisfaction.

If you can spare the time, I think it's best to look at it in a quiet environment. It lasts a little less than 47 minutes. If you listen with headphones, you should be able to hear the birds, and some of the piano harmonics.

Hope you like it. Feel free to drop your comments (by hitting the contact button).

What's the true value of music to you ?

Emusic is a subscription-based service that offers a wide variety of good quality Mp3 from independents labels such as Obliq Sound, Sunnyside Records, Fresh Sound, Naxos... It even provides a Download Manager software that makes downloading very easy. Way cheaper while offering a much better catalogue of non-DRM files, this is just the best alternative to Itunes. If, like me, you still believe music has a cost and a value - therefore a price attached to it - you will love Emusic.

Blowing Trio | The Thing To Share

Cristal-Harmonia Mundi

After the Live@The Duc des Lombards (Prix Charles Cros 2002), the Blowing Trio featuring Olivier Zanot (alto) and David El-Malek (tenor) just recorded a new repertoire of seven new originals and three arrangements by Laurent. Singer Laurence Allison was invited to join them on two tracks. The album untitled The Thing To Share is now available on Emusic and Itunes.

Sweet Sounds Of New York

For those who like me, feel NYCity-sick sometimes, NY Sound Map is an awesome website that offers a wide variety of sounds from the city that not only never sleeps but sounds like no others. You'll hear sounds taken in the streets, at a museum, a train station, in a bus ride through Brooklyn... You'll even get a sens of how the city sounded like in... 1970 ! With these selected recordings the site drows a different picture that avoid the commonplaces and rather shows a more genuine view of the city. If you want to embark on a fast trip, check out the Sound Map Mix.

Less peculiar and yet pretty effective, the Sounds Of New York will provide all the clichés that make New York's signature.

One joke...

The difference between Rock and Jazz :
The Rock band plays 3 chords in front of 10000 people.
The Jazz band plays 10000 chords in front of 3 people.

Laurent's interview with Jérôme Partage (Jazzhot)

What is your training background ?
I started piano at age 7. After three years of private lessons, I entered the Aix-en-Provence Conservatory where I spent eight precious years under Ms Courtin's wing. In 1988 I went to Parisian Jazz school CIM where I stayed two years. In 1994 I earned a grant from French Government to study in New York with John Hicks, Mulgrew Miller, and most notably Bruce Barth who produced my first two albums and soon became a mentor. He's remained a dear friend ever since.

How did you discovered Jazz ?
At age 13 with a Sarah Vaughan LP (with Count Basie Orchestra). Soon after I started listening to the 60's Miles Davis Quintet with Herbie Hancock. My brother had given me a double LP of Thelonious Monk that sat for a few years before I realized how much of a genius he was. I also had a friend at the Conservatory who was crazy about Charlie Parker. We had a band together before I left.

Who are your influences, your role models ?
There are way too many to fit in this interview. To make it short, let's say I was first influenced by Keith Jarrett when I was a teen before I kind of moved away from him. Then, Monk probably became my main influence. I must also mention piano giants Herbie Hancock, Sonny Clark, Marcus Robert, Andrew Hill, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Kenny Kirkland… Later, I listened to masters like Bud Powell, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Wynton Kelly, McCoy Tyner, Tommy Flanagan... but I don't think they had a major influence on my playing. In addition, I must say I've been influenced by many saxophone players as well as drummers... As I said, there are too many to name them all. I've also been very influenced by the music of people of my own generation who came up with a fresh approach about ten years ago, like Mark Turner and Kurt Rosenwinkel. In France, Alain Jean-Marie keeps inspiring me every time I hear him play. He is another model to me.

How did you start your career ?
I started teaching. Then I formed a trio with bass player Jules Bikôkô bi Njami and drummer Daniel Garcia Bruno called Ad For Tri.

What musical encounters have mattered the most for you ?
Again, there are too many to mention... Jules Bikôkô was an important encounter. Drummer Philippe Soirat, singer Laurence Allison, saxophone players Olivier Zanot, Philippe Chagne, Jérôme Sabbagh... Later, in the U.S, Bruce Barth was a decisive encounter. I've had the great opportunity to meet musicians who've opened my mind and ears. Drummer Damion Reid is someone who offers groundbreaking perspectives. And I must mention tenor saxophonist Mark Turner again. I've had the chance to play with him a couple of time and listen to him on many occasions. He reminds me of John Coltrane that I didn't personally know. What I mean by that is that I believe Coltrane and Mark Turner are the same type of musician. Beyond his phenomenal craft and absolute genius, I'm convinced that Coltrane had some sort of natural aura that radiated a very strong and spiritual energy. The kind everyone who approached him could feel. The kind Mark carries.

Talk to us about your experience of New York...
New York hit me the first time I was there in 1995, and not only for musical reasons. Back then, I was too young to really take full advantage of it. Later on, when I lived there, I had wonderful years of fulfilling exchange and encounters. Lots of sessions and shitty gigs where the music was unbelievable. Jazz is more organic there, probably because you have more musicians struggling in a tougher environment. Therefore, there is a great urge to play and develop something personal. The lack of comfort creates a bigger drive.

How do you divide your work between composition and working on standard repertoire ?
I've always written music and it is a process I try to maintain despite the fact that it gets harder with time. I often feel I tend towards things I've already done, and I throw more stuff away. Playing standards is a different kind of approach that's more related to playing live. Maybe one day I'll be able to do a recording of standards only, but these require a great maturity and I'm not in a hurry.

You recorded your last album with Reuben Rogers and Otis Brown III...
Otis is a drummer I played quite a bit with over the last years in New York. For this trio recording, I wanted to create a more intimate vibe than in my previous album with Damion Reid. Otis has a way that reminds me of Brian Blade, who's another big influence, by the way. He had the idea of calling Reuben with whom neither he nor I had played before. Everything went very smoothly and recording together was a blessing.

What difference do you see between the French and the American scene ? Do America and afro-american culture still remain the source of jazz ?
Differences between Paris and New-York come from the general vibe and the distinct cultures these two cities have. Since the very beginning, Jazz is everywhere at home in NY. As I said, the experience of being a musician is different whether you're here or there, and there are a lot more musicians in NY. You find more schools with the number of students increasing from one year to another. NY offers a wider diversity in music streams as well as musicians who embody them. This being said, Paris remains a great Jazz city - probably the main one in Europe - and it is as no wonder that so many American musicians keep coming to settle there. Now, about the source of Jazz, one cannot deny it is deeply rooted in the black community. For more than a century, different branches and styles have emerged and grown, and to draw a line between what is and what isn't Jazz today is not an easy task. Personally I mostly focus on time, swing and a deep sense of melody. These are the qualities I seek with musicians I work with and I find them among people coming from all kind of backgrounds even though these are also the common attributes to all afro-american musics. I believe many of us over the world are sharing this heritage. That's the beauty of jazz.

What is your definition of jazz ?
I have a hard time giving a valid definition. It's hard and risky to try and tell what is and what isn't Jazz. Armstrong used to say that if you were asking yourself, you would probably never know. Duke used to say there are two sorts of music : good and bad. That's a way of seeing things I can easily relate to.

What are your projects ?
To play as much as I possibly can, and to keep meeting new musicians whether here or anywhere else. I still have a lot to learn but I enjoy getting on stage more than ever. Ideally, I wouldn't mind touring more with my trio but other than that, I can't complain. I feel very fortunate to have met exceptional musicians, and to have made precious friends in the process.

Recent releases we can't quit listening to :