Metisse Music

Aurasky Music is a new French label and publishing entity administered by Métisse Music worldwide. First artists on release are Norazia, singer/songwriter between pop and ambient and experimental jazz group Jaster.

BLAST is a young electro-jazz band created by trumpet player Pierre Millet with a first, very original album release on independent French label Eklektik Rekords.

Claude Chalhoub is a young composer and violin virtuoso from Lebanon signed to Métisse Music worldwide, now based in Europe, who worked with Barenboim. His current eponymous album is a classy production by Michael Brook of compositions inspired by classical and oriental musical themes on Teldec/WEA; released in France in autumn 2002.

Denis Frajerman is a french contemporary music composer / producer / musician with a highly original and very striking approach. His compositions for classical strings or jazz related instruments feature samples of animal sounds and electronic work He is currently collaborating with literary writer Antoine Volodine and with the Canadian film maker Guy Maddin.

A small and very effective French indie label specializing in American and French blues; first artists / composers signed on the publishing side were BENOIT BLUE BOY and Nico Wayne Toussaint as well as American artists Tino Gonzales, as Phil Brown, Bonny B , Gashouse Dave , Pura Fe , Neal Black . The latest new publishing signing is UK group Nublues, on release since 2005.

Djamel Laroussi, author, composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist from Algeria, an especially skilled guitar player, features amongst the artists that have the gift to popularise music from their region and beyond without musical concessions. His compositions are an invitation to dance. The lyrics of the songs are written and sung in French, Berber and Arabic. His latest release is a DVD and CD double live album, now out in France and in Germany on the label Dadoua Records.

Eric Longsworth is an American composer and cellist with the technique of a virtuoso player, the inventiveness of a storyteller and an inspired sense of melody, rhythm and improvisation; defined as a jazz musician, but with much openness towards and inspired by all kinds of music: ethnic, classical, blues… Now based in France, he has had his first European release with a trio CD on Enja Records in the spring of 2003, and is preparing several projects for release and touring in 2005.

The young singer, guitarist and composer Franck Biyong from Cameroon, based in France and whose music is inspired by the Afrobeat, has had several self-produced tracks by his group Massak out on international compilations.

Ghetto Blaster continue heating up clubs and concert halls with their Afro-beat music, mixed with jazz and funk, like they have always done so well : their music takes you to Nigeria, where the musical style of Afro-beat was born. Created at the end of the 60ies by Fela Anikulapo Kuti, that music actively claims the improvement of human and social conditions in Africa, while never putting the groove and the dancing into second place.

The composer and vocalist Gino Sitson from Cameroon grew up in France and is now based in the USA. In the past, he lent his voice for recording and touring to many well known recording artists like Manu Dibango, Richard Bona, Ray Lema, Jorge Ben, Wally Badarou et al. He has several solo projects on release. His CD “SONG ZIN” was released in 2002 on German world music label Piranha. In 2008, he is touring with the project “Vocal Deliria” with some songs from his album of the same name, in view of recording the a capella ensemble during the course of the year.

Giovanni Mirabassi is the successful composer and jazz pianist from Italy based in France, he has been recording for French label Sketch Records in the past and is now signed to French independent Discograph . Apart from his home turf, he has a big audience in Japan, where his CDs are on release through Atelier Sawano. His new trio CD with Leon Parker and Gianluca Renzi is on release in 2008.

Singer / songwriter from Wales based in France, collaborator of Peter Blegvad, co-founder of Henry Cow, John Greaves has worked with Michael Nyman, Robert Wyatt and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, amongst many. His album “SONGS” features Robert Wyatt. Recent releases are the trio CD “THE TROUBLE WITH HAPPINESS” and “CHANSONS” with singer Elise Caron on French label Chant du Monde/Harmonia Mundi, as well as a re-issue on the same label of the legendary “KEW / RHONE” album. John Greaves has “VERLAINE” his new album on release in 2008 through French independent Zig Zag Territoires.

Jun Miyake is the Japanese composer and producer hors pair shares his time between Tokyo and Paris, when he is not engaged in activities in some other parts of the globe. Amongst the compositions published are some composed for the Pina Bausch Tanztheater, some film music as well as the compositions of his latest album, “Stolen from Strangers”, with special guests like Arto Lindsay and Vinicius Cantuaria, Sanseverino, Arthur H. Lisa Papineau , Dhafer Youssef and Peter Scherer, released in autumn, 2008 across Europe and in Canada.

Laurence Revey is a singer / songwriter from French-speaking Switzerland,. Her first album “DERRIERE LE MIROIR” produced by Chris Birkett (Shinead O’Connor) was biggest newcomer success in Switzerland in 1997. The following album “LE CREUX DES FEES” produced with the help of Hector Zazou, a world music project released on the French label Naïve in 2002 (Musikvertrieb in Switzerland) includes remixes by Gus Gus, Transglobal Underground, Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Petter Molvaer and Mich Gerber.

composer, keyboards player and programmer, Laurent Pernice realised a subtle electronic album, titled “Drosophiles and Doryphores” with sax player JACQUES BARBERI.

Christophe is an outstanding jazz violin player and composer, Tony an equally talented composer and original pianist. Les Frères Raymond will have their first album on release on the label Lontano/Warner, France, in April 2009.

French electro-acoustic group with releases “MUNDUS SUBTERRANEUS” and “TYCHO BRAHE” as well as others in the past on the American Hearts of Space / Fathom label, re-released by Horizon, USA in 2005. Lightwave perform rarely, in very exceptional venues: A sculpture / music project with Anne & Patrick Poirier a the Gasometer cultural center in Oberhausen / Germany and their participation in the avantgarde Grenoble Festival with a concert in the subterranean caves , or the Nice Observatory. Their next concert will take place at INA / GRM, the contemporary music center in Paris, in the autumn of 2005. Their latest album, “BLEUE COMME UNE ORANGE”, was released in 2004 by Signature/Radio France, a French-based record label, as was their previous one, “CARYOTYPE”, released in 2002.

Man produces a rare and elegant form of elctroacoustic music that touches bases with uncharteted territories where anything is possible. (my space)

Author composer and leader of the group Mathis and the Mathematiks, which released a first album in 2004 in Spain and the same in France, in 2005, to great acclaim from press and radio, and with an excellent response to their concert performances. They did a number of big festivals in France in 2005 and continue touring while preparing their new album.
(my space)

Mike Westbrook is an english contemporary music and jazz composer, arranger and bandleader signed direct to Metisse Music with many compositions inc. three operas of contemporary music to his credit; Current CD “GLAD DAY”, with music inspired by the English mystic poet William Blake for big band, choir and solo voices is on release on Enja Records, Germany. the 20th anniversary album of the Wesbrook trio “L’ascenseur/ the lift” is on release in 2003.

MonkOMarok a French band from Toulouse in the south of France. They never ceases to amaze its audience with eclectic and energetic mix of musical influences from the Orient, the Balkans and Southern Europe, presented with gusto, mixed with improvisation and poetic inspiration from some latin poets. Their first album DIN DIN DAN signed to German jazz label Enja was in all the French media, the following one, “AU PLAFOND” also on Enja was released in 2002. All the members of the band are also working on individual projects.

This American artist, based in France in recent years has had her first album entitled “MILAGRO” released by Universal France in 2001. Metisse signed Natalia M King to a three year publishing contract on the strength of her demos. The album has also been released in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK and the United-States. Her last album published by Métisse Music, FuryandSound was released in the spring of 2003.

Norberto Pedreira trio are three Argentineans based in France. They have recorded their first album for the French label Aïa Music, associated with Al Sur / Disques Concord. Their music has Latin American roots but is subtly modern and of great appeal.

Charles-Eric Charrier was one half of the duo Man. Charles-Eric and his partner Rasim Biyikli have recorded three albums and worked for film soundtracks, painters, choreographers and completed many tours. Charles-Eric also writes and records as a solo artist under the name Oldman. He has as collaborated with many artists and musicians including Mathias Delplanque (LENA), Rob Mazurek, Abraxax, The CLOGS, Orange Blossom, Teamforest, Le COQ…

Metisse Music copublishes a number of authors/composers/artists of the Owl Records catalogue, what is now part of Universal Jazz France / Verve: Paolo Fresu, STEFAN OLIVA, JIMMY GIUFFRE, HELEN MERRIL…

Paolo Fresu is the Italian jazz trumpet player from Sardinia, constantly touring and very appreciated in France, recorded three albums for BMG and several for OWL which are now part of Universal’s catalogue and which are published or co-published by Métisse Music.

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Pascal Lamour is deeply rooted in the music of his region, Britanny, on the French Atlantic coast. The Celtic influences of this music are very present in his songs, as are all kinds of modern musical languages like electronics, samples, the rhythms of reggae and rap. His CDs are released on his own label BNC which also features other musicians from Britanny, known to be a hothouse of creativity in France. Featured artists: Pascal Lamour.

Paul Brock is a contemporary music composer as well as a very talented painter. Based in Paris, he was born in Morocco of French and American parents and has been living in many different places. The appreciation of what surrounds him is palpable in his music, which integrates samples of the sounds of the streets and houses, of nature, voices and whatever catches his ear. He reworks these and joins them with his piano and other instruments, like the Cristal Baschet.

Sanctuary is a unique trio of bass clarinet, cello and church organ from Nova Scotia, Canada which explores ancient plainsong, improvisation and contemporary music. They were signed to Warner Classics UK and have their CD “THE HEART HAS ITS REASONS” on release since 2005. A new album is in preparation.

Israeli composer / singer / instrumentalist based in France, with a beautiful album called “CAFE TURC” on release on Al Sur, inspired by all the music around the Mediterranean and recorded with musicians from Greece, Italy, Turkey and France. Sara Alexander is an untiring messenger of tolerance and understanding between people of different cultures and different religions who remains constantly active in fostering the understanding between Israel and Palestine.

The work of the young composer Sylvain Chauveau is attracting an ever growing number of film directors in France. His minimalist approach, often compared to Satie, his film music work and his great voice which we are likely to hear more of in the future makes him attractive not only to French labels and a French audience. His albums have recently been released in the UK by FatCat and by Type Records.

Composer Toma Feterman leads the urban/gypsy/rock band La Caravane Passe and also the acoustic Klezmer ensemble Trio Freylekh Trio. The inspired music of La Caravane Passe is available on two albums, “GO TO PLECHTI!” and the double CD/DVD “VELKOM PLECHTI”, on release since the end of 2007. The band built its reputation by touring France and will now be travelling to make their music known outside of France.

The composer and percussionist Manuel Wandji creates a subtle mix of urban and African traditional sounds. With three albums published through Métisse Music, this artist who divides his time between Cameroon and France is also very active as a composer for hip hop and African danse companies.
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Yaron Herman, originally from Israel, has been based in France for the last few years. Having released his first album on French label Sketch Records at the age of 22, in 2003, he has signed with young classical label Laborie, distributed by Naïve and now branching out into world music and jazz, for a solo project entitled “VARIATIONS” released in 2006 which was a resounding success for this young and very unique artist . His most recent recording, the trio production “A TIME FOR EVERTHING” recorded with Matt Brewer and Gerald Cleaver, is on release since autumn 2007, again to excellent reviews.