Jim Funnell’s Word Out

Participants à cet évènement

• Akiko Horii

  Akiko Horii

  Born and raised near Kobe, Japanese-French jazz percussionist Akiko Horii was never afraid of bold moves growing up: after leaving her native Japan alone at the age of fifteen to attend high school on Long Island (NY), she made a radical shift from studying classical piano to devoting herself to West African music and dance in college (CalArts), with a particular focus on the djembe and Ewe drumming from Ghana. She later spent several months in Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Mali, learning from masters and performing for local ceremonies. Her deep sense of rhythm and graceful abstractions notably brought her into the spotlight with several performances on Congahead. In addition to displaying an impressive array of intricate grooves on the three albums she produced with AfuriKo (African infused jazz duo coled with pianist/keyboardist Jim Funnell), Akiko’s skilful arrangements and original compositions are showcased on her own percussion group’s eponymous release Les Elles du Tambour (2012).

  The band played throughout France, including appearances at Art Rock Festival and at the Studio de l’Ermitage opening for Ethio-jazz unit Akalé Wubé. A multifaceted artist versed in numerous musical styles of the African Diaspora, Akiko has toured for many years, working with Django Bates’ Loose Tubes, Andy Narell, Monette Marino (under the direction of Mamady Keïta), Zalindê, the Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, Oxmo Puccino, Kery James, Grand Corps Malade, and Ibrahim Maalouf to name a few. She has performed in fourteen countries across four continents, at venues and festivals such as Jazz a la Calle (Uruguay), the London Jazz Festival, Kathmandu Jazz Festival (Nepal), Ronnie Scott’s (London), Herts Jazz Festival (UK), Kanazawa Jazz Streets (Japan), Jazz à la Villette, the Palais des Congrès, and the Olympia in Paris, Coburg Samba Festival (Germany), Festival International de Timgade (Tunisia), Festival +KSamba (Mallorca, Spain), and the Cannes Film Festival. As an educator, Akiko was musical director for Cardiff University’s West African drumming and dance ensemble “Lanyi” in 2016, and has led workshops and master classes at several other institutions (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Middlesex University in London, l’Union des Musiciens de Jazz in Paris, Munich International Ballet School, etc.).

• Chris Jennings

  Chris Jennings

  Contrebasse

  Short bio:

  Based in Paris France since 2002, Canadian bassist CHRIS JENNINGS has established himself with the Dhafer Youssef Quartet with Tigran Hamasyan and Mark Guiliana, with many bands of guitarist Nguyên Lê including his “Streams Quartet,” “Becoming Water” Trio with Rhani Krija, a quartet with Rita Maroctulli, Danny Gottlieb, ou Karim Ziad and Bojan Z as well as with Turkish ney master Kudsi Ergüner and Aynur Dogan. He is bassist in the Joachim Kühn “New Trio” and the ‘El Gusto’ Algerian traditional Chaabi orchestra, the Gregory Privat Trio, the Titi Robin “Nargis”, the David Linx Quartet and the Céline Bonacina Quartet featuring Gwilym Simcock & FlyFly Trio. “Drum’n Koto,” his 7th album as a leader in trio with japanese koto player Mieko Miyazaki & Patrick Goraguer on drums & Iranian santour was “Disc of the Month” by Jazz News magazine France. His next album of his latest Chris Jennings Banff Radio features Patrick Goraguer, Kalle Karim, Eric Schaefer and Hayden Chisholm.

  Bio court : 

  Installé à Paris depuis 2002, le contrebassiste canadien CHRIS JENNINGS s’est fait connaître en jouant aux côtés de Dhafer Youssef avec Tigran Hamasyan et Mark Guiliana, avec le guitariste Nguyên Lê dans beaucoup de ses groupes : “Streams Quartet”, ”Becoming Water” trio with Rhani Krija, “Fire & Water Trio”, quartet avec Rita Marcotulli et Danny Gottlieb ou encore avec Karim Ziad & Bojan Z. Il a joué également avec le virtuose du ney turc, Kudsi Ergüner and Aynur Dogan, et aujourd’hui il est le bassiste du Joachim Kühn depuis 7 ans, du trio de Gregory Privat, du Titi Robin “Nargis”, du quartet de David Linx, de l’orchestre traditionnel algérien chaâbi “El Gusto”, du groupe de chanteuse Kurde Aynur Dogan, et le quartet de Céline Bonacina featuring Gwilym Simcock et son Fly Fly Trio. “Drum’n Koto”, son 7ème album en tant que leader, accompagné de la joueuse de koto japonais Mieko Miyazaki et de Patrick Goraguer à la batterie et au santour iranien, a été choisi comme “Disque du Mois” dans Jazz News magazine France. Son prochain album de son projet du jour le Chris Jennings “Banff Radio” est avec Patrick Goraguer, Kalle Kalima, Eric Schaefer et Hayden Chisholm.

  Contrebasse

• Jeff Boudreaux

  Jeff Boudreaux

  Batteur

  Un batteur de la Nouvelle-Orléans vivant à Paris qui a joué avec des grands du jazz comme Wynton et Branford Marsalis, Randy Brecker, Rick Margitza, Toots Thielemans, Jean Michel Pilc, Melody Gardot… etc. Un rythme magique !

  Batteur

• Jim Funnell

  Jim Funnell

  Anglo-French pianist and composer Jim Funnell started leading his own band in his early teens, performing at jazz clubs by the time he was in high school. Dedicating himself to the study of both classical and jazz piano, he was awarded a full tuition scholarship from Berklee College of Music, where he was exposed to a diversity of styles and cultures. At Berklee, in addition to studying with jazz luminaries such as Danilo Pérez, Joanne Brackeen, Laszlo Gardony, David Fiuczynski, Joe Lovano, and George Garzone, Jim had the opportunity to perform with Dave Douglas, Marcus Miller, Meshell Ndgeocello, and Yellowjackets members Russell Ferrante and Marcus Baylor. Upon graduation, he traveled to Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, soaking up Latin America’s folklore and Afro-Latin rhythms. These early experiences helped shape both his musical language and purpose of inspiring and encouraging uniqueness in others. Jim Funnell has released five albums as a leader/co-leader of both his own group “Word Out” (postmodern jazz) and AfuriKo (African infused jazz duo with percussionist Akiko Horii). Drawing from diverse influences from around the world in a spirit of respect and celebration, he has notably garnered reviews from All About Jazz, London Jazz News, and Jazz Magazine. His colourful approach to writing music earned him the Composition Prize at the “Trophées du Sunside” in Paris (2011) as well as SACEM’s “Aide à l’autoproduction” (funding for self-produced albums provided by the French Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers of Music). Constantly taking his music on the road, Jim has performed at numerous venues across seventeen countries (in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa) and festivals such as the London Jazz Festival, Balkan Trafic! (Brussels), Jazz a la Calle (Uruguay), Kathmandu Jazz Festival, Kanazawa Jazz Street (Japan), JazzQ (St. Petersburg), Malta Jazz Festival, Jazz en Touraine, Festival Cinéma d’Alès Itinérances, Festival des Musiques Sacrées de Paris (France), and Central Park SummerStage (New York). As a sideman, he has played and recorded with artists from across a wide musical spectrum (David Fiuczynski, New York Gypsy All Stars, Chico Freeman, Ravy Magnifique, Tiger Okoshi, Philippe Lopes de Sa, …) Jim teaches both privately and in workshop/masterclass settings (BRICKS Music Salon in Tokyo, Cardiff University School of Music in Wales, Improphile/Jazz de Mars in France, Koyo Conservatory in Kobe, Euro Institute of Music and Arts in Malta…) He was nominated Jazz Piano Teacher of the Year 2019 at Lessonface.com.