Richard-Bonnet, Michaël-Attias, and Sylvain-Darrifourcq photo courtesy of the artists
Saturday, June 25, 6pm
The Royal Room
5000 Rainier Ave S
$20
BY MELANIE GRIMES
Earshot Jazz and The Royal Room present Richard Bonnet, Michaël Attias, and Sylvain Darrifourcq on June 25 at the Royal Room. Together, this French and American trio, bring their diverse international backgrounds of both culture and sound to their improvisational and avant-garde repertoire.
Bonnet is an avant-garde guitarist from the French Alps. He began playing rock and metal at the age of 13, then was influenced by the blues of Robert Johnson. At 17, he began studying with a jazz guitarist. His influences include Joe Pass, Mick Goodrick, Robert Johnson, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Buddy Guy, Marc Ribot, and the modern European classical tradition. He plays both electric and acoustic guitars, often employing his Kopo-built “Pearl” 7 string electric and a “Sorbus” 7 string acoustic. His 2015 solo album, Morning Bear, combines the 20th century European classical tradition with the blues.
Attias is an Israeli-born saxophonist of Moroccan heritage who was raised in Paris. A talented composer as well, Attias has composed for big bands, small ensembles, orchestras, musicals and theater including Yale Repertory Theater, the La Jolla Playhouse, Baryshnikov Arts Center, and the Duke on 42nd Street. He has been awarded multiple fellowships, including receiving the 2000 Artists’ Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts and The MacDowell Arts Colony fellowships in the fall of 2008 and the summer of 2015. He has released eight albums, including échos la nuit, released in 2019 on Out Of Your Head. Residing in New York City since 1995, Attias continues to frequent the local scene performing at the Village Vanguard, the Jazz Gallery, and the Winter Jazz Festival, to name but a few. More recently, he’s been curating a new music series at Barbès in Brooklyn, where he’s been joined by the likes of Barre Phillips, Tim Berne, William Parker, Mark Helias, Jason Moran, Mary Halvorson, Eivind Opsvik, Gerald Cleaver, Tony Malaby, and others.
Darrifourcq was raised in the southwest of France and began his music training as a classical percussionist. At 15, he joined a rock band but then discovered jazz and, after that, abstract music. After moving to Toulouse, France, Darrifourcq earned his jazz diploma from the Toulouse Conservatory of Music. In 2003, he recorded his first album, and in 2004 he co-founded the Émile Parisien quartet alongside Émile Parisien, Julien Touéry, and Ivan Gélugne. He was later invited to join a quintet with Michel Portal, Tony Malaby, Bojan Z, and Bruno Chevillon. Darrifourcq is also the co-founder of the DA Festival, with singer and bass player Elise Dabrowski.
In 2018, Darrifourcq collaborated on his 2014 release, Shapin’ with MILESDAVISQUINTET!, with videographer Jean-Pascal Retel. Together, along with Swiss artist, Zimoun, Darrifourcq merged his music with the visual arts for a performance in Berlin at Kunsthaus, KuLe. He followed this with his first solo work with both visuals and sound, entitled FIXIN.
This concert is supported by a grant from the French American Cultural Exchange (FACE) to support international jazz collaborations and raise recognition of French artists. Tickets at theroyalroomseattle.com.