Sax & Strings

D’Addario, worldwide leader of reeds manufacturing, is proud to propose this unique concert with international renowned artists combining an eclectic repertoire with a variety of music ensembles.

Biography

Barry Cockroft

 

Composer and saxophonist, Barry’s music has received thousands of performances throughout the world and is played regularly in more than 40 countries.

 

Quatuor Ellipsos

Constitué à Nantes en 2004, 1er prix du Conservatoire de Paris, lauréat de trois concours internationaux, le Quatuor Ellipsos réalise lui-même ses propres adaptions ou arrangements classiques comme pop. Parrainé par Régis Laspalès et Philippe Chevallier, Ellipsos a enregistré trois albums qui se sont exportés dans plus de 40 pays. A la tête de leur académie d’été annuelle à l’Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle qui vient en soutien à l’UNICEF depuis 7ans, Ellipsos s’engage sur la scène internationale en proposant des récitals toujours plus novateurs tout en faisant découvrir le quatuor de saxophones sous toutes ses formes.
Aujourd’hui reconnu comme l’ambassadeur du quatuor de saxophones français dans le monde, le Quatuor Ellipsos a été le premier quatuor de saxophones invité sur le plateau de « Vivement Dimanche » de Michel Drucker diffusé sur France 2 et TV5 Monde, où ils ont interprété « Asturias » devant plus de 9 millions de téléspectateurs.

 

Sylvain Beuf

 

Né le 06 avril 1964 à Paris, Sylvain Beuf est devenu l’un des plus incontournables saxophonistes français – Victoire de la Musique, Djangos d’Or, prix Django Reinhardt, Talent Midem…

Vingt ans de carrière écumés avec le who’s who du jazz français, entre autres : Martial Solal, René Urtreger, Hervé Sellin, Daniel Humair, Henri Texier, Richard Galliano, Michel Perez, André Cecarrelli, Aldo Romano, Andy Emler, Gordon Beck, Alain Jean-Marie, Bojan Z, Billy Hart, Jean Michel Pilc, Emmanuel Bex, Eric Lelann, Alex Tassel, Jean-Pierre Como , Ludovic de Preissac…

Il s’est forgé l’image d’un tranquille et modeste surdoué : compositeur prolixe, soliste inspiré, leader à la parfaite maîtrise et aux choix certains. Celui qui déjà au début des années 90, était placé au niveau d’un Joshua Redman ou d’un Brandford Marsalis, a patiemment construit un chemin sans faute mais non sans surprise, préférant les projets créatifs à tout confortable ressassement.

 

Jerry Bergonzi

Tenor saxophonist, Jerry Bergonzi, is an internationally recognized jazz performer, composer, author and educator. His music is renowned for its innovation, mastery, and integrity. Relentless drive, inner fire, total command, awesome technique, elastic lyricism, rich resonance, world-class, a musical visionary, are among the rave reviews credited to his sound. Bergonzi’s music has been applauded throughout the world at festivals, concert halls, and jazz venues and his dedication to jazz music has been well documented by an extensive discography of over 150 sides.

 

Iain Ballamy

Recognised internationally for his original approach and distinctive sound, Iain Ballamy emerged from Loose Tubes and Bill Buford’s Earthworks before working with artists as diverse as Hermeto Pascoal, Gil Evans, The Karnataka College of Percussion and Django Bates.

His work spans Jazz, contemporary classical and world music.

In 2014 he premiered Gary Carpenters Saxophone concerto “Set” with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra and in 2015 performed ‘Concerto for Stan Getz’ by Richard Rodney Bennett with the BBC concert orchestra.

Composer credits include pieces for London Sinfonietta, Joanna Macgregor and the Apollo saxophone quartet and film scores including ‘Mirrormask’ and ‘Luna’ both directed by Dave McKean.

Recent releases on the ECM label include ‘Quercus‘ with folk legend June Tabor and ‘Food’ with Norwegian percussionist Thomas Stronen.

He has been specialist tutor at the Royal Academy of music since 1998.

 

Strasax The founders of the band, all issued from French and Swiss Music Académies perform on the national stages in groups like Virage, Bernard Struber Jazztet as well as on the international stages with thé Symphonie Orchestra of Strasbourg and the Biréli Lagrène Gipsy Project ( Franck Wolf )

The first album of straSax, “Frag’s” received the highest award (Choc) in the most important French jazz magazine “Jazzman”. After this award they were selected by the AFIJMA (Association of Festivals Innovating in Jazz and Actual Music), for a tour in some festivals in France including the “Paris Jazz Festival” , and chosen to represent the French jazz scene in the Rome (Italy) and the Budapest (Hungary) Jazz Festivals.

They perform, compose and arrange their own repertoire and develop some new kind of Jazz music open to modern music trends, giving large room to improvisation.

 

Zzyzx

 

Described as “a superb ensemble with impeccable musical taste” (The Saxophone Journal) the Zzyzx Quartet was formed in 2007.  As an ensemble, they have presented performances throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, as well as numerous masterclasses and workshops across the continental United States. Zzyzx is committed to the advancement of saxophone quartet repertoire and has commissioned and premiered new works by composers such as John Mackey, David Maslanka, David Rakowski, Ian Stewart, John Leszczynski, Erik Norman, Elliott Bark, Matthew Peterson, Sarah Gibson, Laura Kramer, and Jonathan Sokol.  In 2012, Zzyzx commissioned a new saxophone quartet by renowned American composer, John Mackey, which is featured on their newest critically acclaimed CD, “Intersections”, released in June 2013.