Michel Feugère
In 1985, he integrated the Lyon Jazz School and the Rhône-Alpes Association for Musical Information (French AIMRA), where he attended in particular the class of the trumpeter Jean-Luc Cappozzo. Then, he obtained the Lyon 2 Lumière University diploma in both scientific and technical studies in Musicology (French DEUST).
At 21, he started to make a living with his instrument by beginning his professional career within variety orchestras and New Orleans music bands before moving to Paris in Septembre 1992.
For a decade, he has played with famous salsa bands such as Yuri Buenaventure, Mambomania, Azuquita, Alfredo Rodriguez, Orlando Poleo and Sergent Garcia. At the same time, he started working with Manu Dibango.
In 1996, he obtained both the third orchestra prize and the composition prize in the La Défense National Jazz Competition with the ‘Michel Feugère Septet’. These rewards enabled him to become first trumpet in François Laudet ‘s big band and to integrate not only the Paris Jazz Big Band (with Tony Russo and co-managed by both Pierre Bertrand and Nicolas Folmer) but also the Didier Levallet’s Jazz national Orchestra.
With Julien Chirol and Frédéric Couderc, he played for many famous artists, such as Micky Green, Vanessa Paradis, Feist, Abd Al Malik, Enrico Macias, Garou, Carla Bruni, Jane Birkin and Christophe Maé, etc…Besides, all three made the French rock star Jean-Louis Aubert’s Roc’Eclair tour which was awarded of a French Victoire de la Musique in 2012.
Michel Feugère multiplied and diversified his artistic collaborations by performing in particular with : Robin McKelle, Michel Sardou (2000-2001 tour), Diana Krall (Live in Paris), David Liebman (Sketches of Spain in la Cité de la Musique), Bob Mintzer (Paris Jazz Big Band), The Heritage Blues Orchestra , Michel Leeb (Badini’s Big Band), Fred Pallem (Le Sacre du Tympan) and Francois Laudet’s Big Band (2007 Vienna Jazz festival). In addition, he played for various French stars : Julien Clerc, Patrick Bruel, Quentin Mosimann, La Fouine, Cœur de pirate, Michel Fugain and lately Orelsan. And cherry on the cake, in 2010 he performed with Stevie Wonder (French Victoires de la Musique). Yet, performing in Wynton Marsallis’s Big Band in 2004 during the Marciac Jazz festival will be for ever remembered as the ultimate honour.
Julien Chirol
After several years of classic musical studies in various Fench academies (Paris area), he started his trombonist’s career in the Mambo Mania band where he met the sideman Yuri Buenaventura. Later, he enjoyed a spectacular success with Sergent Garcia while integrating the Paris CNSM (Conservatoire National et Supérieur de Musique meaning Paris upper and national music academy), jazz and improvised music section, in François Jeanneau’s class. There he met all the future members of the French big band ‘le Sacre du Tympan’ (which was awarded La Défense Jazz competition first prize in 2001 and a Victoire de La Musique in 2006) and his music fellow travellers (‘Qui Sème le Vent’, ‘Tarakan Quintet’, ‘Spice’Bones’, ‘l’Ensemble Nord-Sud’ and ‘Music Unit’).
Moreover, he multiplied jazz collaborations with : Michel Portal, Manu Dibango, Patrick Artero (‘Artero Brel’ album), Vincent Artaud (‘La Tour Invisible’ album) and Daniel Zimmermann’s Septet.
Undoubtedly a real outsdanding musician, he was involved as soloist in the creation of Pascal Dusapin’s opera entitles ‘Perelà, Uomo di fumo’ and performed in 2003 in The Opera of Paris. His eclectic musical interests keep him tremendously active as an improviser, a new music performer, and a composer of incidental music for film or Réunion music albums. By instance, in 2000, the success of ‘Sega Tremblad’ (the album he composed for the ‘Théâtre Vollard’ musical show) was so amazing that the hit song ‘Kafrine’ turned to be a new séga standard.
Either trombonist, composer or music producer, Julien Chirol worked with great artists such as : Jean-Louis Aubert, Feist, Jane Birkin, Micky Green, Saul Williams, Angélique Kidjo and Henri Salvador to quote just a few.
In 2011, with ‘L’Ensemble Nord-Sud’ big band, he presented the cantata ‘Anya, l’esprit des tambours sacrés’ ( meaning Anya, the spirit of crowned drums), undeniably his most personal key project, which combines with both science and delicacy his various musical sensibilities.
Since 2007, he has been teaching classic trombone, jazz, improvisation and group work in Paris 20 music academy.
Frédéric Couderc
Like Julien Chirol, after musical studies in the Bordeaux CRR (Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional meaning regional academy), he attended the CNSM François Jeanneau’s class.
Questing constantly for new musical tones and sounds, this unquenchable poly-instrumentalist plays all saxophones but also flutes, clarinets, taragot, English cor and ewi.
Some of his saxophones are rare and seldom used (soprano in C and mezzo-soprano in B). For example, the ‘Coudophone’ (C-melody droit) was specifically designed for him by Hervé Martin and is consequently unique worldwide.
In 2007, he paid tribute to Roland Kirk in his album entitled ‘Kirkophonie’ in which he played 2 or 3 saxophones at the same time.
In 2011, his third album ‘Coudophonie’ was released. It emerged as a brilliant work on sound textures and tone fusions. To top it all, André Ceccarelli, great and famous drumer, played on this opus.
To sum up, Frédéric Couderc has played with renowned artists : Ray Charles, Wynton Marsalis, John Lewis, Kenny Wheeler, Tania Maria, Claude Nougaro, Gary Smulyan, Mal Waldron, Michel Legrand, Dee Dee Brigtwater, the ONJ, the Pom, Mark Turner, Christian Escoudé’s big band, François Laudet’s big band, the Anachronic Jazz Band, the Radio France National Orchestra, Richard Galiano, etc…, and is a member of the following big bands : Laurent Mignard Duke Orchestra, Paris jazz big band, Berry pickers, Le Sacre du Tympan, Tony Chasseur Mizikopeyi Big Band, Artaud (current events).