MICHEL GODARD

Tubist Michel Godard, born 1960 in Héricourt, became well-known to an international audience during the mid-1990s performing with Rabih Abou-Khalil's and Louis Sclavis' groups. In France, he was already a celebrated artist playing with Claude Barthélemy's and Jean-Marc Padovani's ensembles, a decade earlier.

Michel Godard’s striking individual style and unlimited virtuosity has extended the technical possibilities of the tuba. And he has revived a Renaissance instrument- the serpent.
We are proud present Michel Godard's personal music projects.

DEEP SOUNDS

ALBUM RELEASE DEEP (INT 3415 2)

Michel Godard, tuba + serpent
Gavino Murgia, sax + vocals + samples

"Deep" is Gavino Murgia's voice accompanied by two of the lowest-pitched intruments in the European tradition - the tuba and the serpent of Michel Godard. Sung in the tradition of Sardininan sacred music, or shepherd's songs, the timber of Gavino Murgia's voice almost surpasses human boundaries. The duo have infused the ambiences of their respective musical traditions to create something fresh, unique and hauntingly beautiful.

LA VERGINE NERA

Michel Godard, serpent + tuba
Linda Bsiri, vocals
Jarrod Cagwin, frame drums
Gavino Murgia, vocals
"Calixtinus Scuola Gregoriana," 6 singers directed by Gianni de Gennaro

Europe’s oldest musical transcript the “Einsiedeln Codex” was brought back to life. The medieval codex was musically reconstructed in 2003 for the "Alpen Töne Festival" in Altdorf and recorded for Swiss TV. We would like to see this beautiful piece of music being made available to a greater audience.

In this project, top-notch European Jazzists Michel Godard, Pierre Favre and Gabriele Mirabassi collaborate with the Gregorian choir from Bari and the beautiful voice of Italian singer Cristina Zavalloni .

A copy of the 2003 recording is available.

CASTEL DEL MONTE

Michel Godard, serpent, tuba
Linda Bsiri, vocals
Gabriele Mirabassi, clarinet
Jarrod Cagwin, percussion
"Calixtinus Choir," 4 singers, directed by Gianni de Gennaro

Inspired by the architecture of Southern Italy's Castel Del Monte, built in the Middle Ages by Emperor Frederic II., this project was recorded within its walls for Enja Records. It features singer Linda Bsiri's avant-garde sounds together with the Italian Calixtinus choir's Gregorian chants and melodies played on clarinet, tuba and serpent by Gabriele Mirabassi and Michel Godard.

A haunting and tremendously impressive musical experience for churches and other acoustically built venues. 2 CDs are released on Enja Records.

COUSINS GERMAINS

Wolfgang Puschnig, sax
Christof Lauer, sax
Herbert Joos, trumpet
Franck Tortiller, vibes
Wolfgang Reisinger, drums
Michel Godard, tuba

Created for “Banlieues Bleues” festival in Paris, Cousins Germains brings together some of the most well-known French, German and Austrian Jazz musicians. This project demonstrates the new musical bonds unifying European Jazz. For those seeking state-of-the-art and future expansion of improvised music, this is an outstanding example: beautiful, daring, elegant, intelligent and wild.

TRIO ROUGE

Lucilla Galeazzi, vocals
Michel Godard, tuba + serpent
Vincent Courtois, violoncello

From tender Italian love songs to the empowering hymns of the Resistance, Trio Rouge is devoted to Italian song traditions. It expands the concept of 'canzone' to include an even broader musical spectrum of ideas. Romantic Italian ambience and pure Mediterranean joie-de-vivre performed by great musicians, who dare to up-date the beauty of traditional melodies for a new generation.

Ensemble leader and songstress Lucilla Galeazzi devoted her studies to Italian and especially Umbrian folk music. Based on this influence, she has worked throughout her musical career. Proving her stylistic versatility with, among others, Carlo Rizzo, Juan José Mosalini and Gianluigi Trovesi, Galeazzi has earned her place in the Mediterranean music scene.
Vincent Courtois, born in 1968, was a European Jazz scene 'whizz-kid'. He began to study violoncello at the conservatoire in 1974 and was soon showered with prizes and awards. He has performed in duo with Martial Solal, Dave Holland, Michel Petrucciani and in the projects of Rabih Abou-Khalil and Louis Sclavis. A versatile virtuoso on his instrument, Vincent feels as much at home in new classical music, as in experimental Jazz, as in ethnic and popular concepts.

“Lucilla Galeazzi and her two partners succeeded in casting their spell over the audience with sparsely arranged, yet extremely emotional and meaningful songs. The audience was wild with enthusiasm, and I was impressed.” (Ralf Dombrowski)

TUBA!TUBA!

Michel Godard, tuba
Dave Bargeron, tuba
Luciano Biondini, accordion
Jarrod Cagwin, drums + percussion

Dave Bargeron and Michel Godard met in 2000, during Rabih Abou-Kahlil "Cactus of Knowledge" production. And the two got on like a house on fire. So they spontaneously decided to set-up "Tuba!Tuba!" They brought in rhythmagician Jarrod Cagwin and accordion virtuoso Luciano Biondini- both playing with Michel in Rabih's band.

Tuba!Tuba! is one of those rare Jazz formations, in which two soloists, dedicated to the same instrument, discover suprising synergies. The result is a powerpack of virtuosity and wit, whether live or on recording.