Jean-Sébastien
Simonoviez -
PIANO
Born in 1966 from a music lover father who adore
Bach's music and a mother, pianist amateur playing Chopin's work.
At home, one of his brothers, also pianist, studies Debussy but plays
also all kind of music: from Scott Joplin to Dave Brubeck.....
Jean-Sebastien is fascinated by his brother's easiness to transcribe
any melody and improvise on it.
At 5 years old, he starts studying classic piano with an "old school"
teacher that puts him on the piano.
At 7 years old, he integrates a music school where he is asked to
choose a second instrument. Stunned by Louis Armstrong's recording, he
sets his heart on the trumpet which will develop his sense of melody
and breathing.
Until 14 years old, he assimilates base techniques of music (reading,
writing, theory).
From 16 years old, he starts to play with other musicians and each
encounters contribute to enrich his vocabulary.
The drummer of his first band, Soma, owns a club well stocked. He makes
him discover John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Bill
evans...It is a shock. He dives in the intoxicating universe of those
musicians.
A guitarist with who he crosses France, teaches him harmony and jam
techniques.
In the 90's, he participates to numerous projects (concerts and albums)
with europeans and americans musicians (among other, Paolo Fresu and
Jim pepper).
In parallel, he is teaching at the Musical Institute of Professional
Training (Salon de Provence).
In the piano classroom, drums are set permanently. He then learns to
play self-taught. His attraction to the drums is so strong that he
organizes training where he is a drummer.
At certain times, he accompanies other pianists like Alain Jean Marie,
Michel Grailler, Siegfried Kessler or even the english saxophone
player, Peter king.
Late 90's, he flies often to New York and even shares his time between
the USA and France. The magic island loaded of music is extremely
welcoming. The gigs, the sessions and jam-sessions allow him to
practice and reinforce his art and knowledge of the american culture.
He is in contact with musicians like James Cammack, Ari Hoenig,
Francois Moutin, Essiet Essiet...
Back in France, Gerard de Haro offers him to record his first piano
solo album "Vents et Marees" (La Buissonne/Harmonia Mundi, 2003). This
album is well welcomed by the specialized press and knows a franc
success in Europe and Asia.
He then creates the band Transition with Francois Gallix, Gael
Horellou, Yoann Serra and Clara Simonoviez. After many concerts, the
quintet becomes a septet, integrating arrangements for 2 saxophones, 3
voices, double bass, drums, piano.In 2007, he records "Crossing Life
and Strings" (La Buissonne/Harmonia Mundi) with Jean-Jacques Avenel,
Riccardo Del Fra, Barre Phillips, Steve Swallow and the quartet Opus 33.
2008 Tour with te Gaël Horellou quartet with who he records
the album"pour la terre" live at the sunside with François
Gallix an Ari Hoenig.