Benoît Delbecq
 | This article is an autobiography or has been extensively edited by the subject or by someone connected to the subject. (August 2011) |
Benoît Delbecq | |
|---|---|
 Benoît Delbecq performing in Paris, 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 6 June 1966 Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Paris, France |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Website | Official Website |
Benoît Delbecq (born 6 June 1966) is a French pianist and composer.[1]
Early life
[edit source]Benoît Delbecq was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and raised in a musical environment. He started studying piano in Bougival at the age of seven with Nicolle Mollard, a former student of Alfred Cortot. He first studied jazz harmony with parisian pianist Jean-Pierre Fouquey, then joined IACP in Paris (in 1982), a jazz and improvised music school founded and directed by bassist Alan Silva, while he continued high school and furthermore sound engineering studies. In 1983 he met Mal Waldron who encouraged him to work on his own music. As he had become an assistant director for films as well as an assistant in sound engineering, Delbecq finally opted to become a professional musician after attending the Banff Centre Jazz Workshop, Canada, in the summer of 1987, where he studied with Dave Holland, Steve Coleman and Muhal Richard Abrams among others. He then studied composition and music analysis with Solange Ancona at the Versailles National Conservatory, studied with pianist Georges Delvallée at Cachan Conservatory. Together with saxophonist Guillaume Orti from France, he went back again to the Banff Jazz workshop in the summer of 1990 where he studied under the direction of Steve Coleman. There he met peers like pianists Ethan Iverson and Andy Milne, saxophonists Tony Malaby and Jorrit Dijsktra, and trumpeter Ralph Alessi among others, as well as British drummer Steve Argüelles, a long-term collaborator.[2][3]
Later life and career
[edit source]Since 1989, Delbecq has participated in nearly a hundred and fifty records. He performs solo piano and solo electronics, leads or co-leads a number of international bands from duos to quintets, and is involved in many multi-disciplinary productions of theater, dance, the visual arts, cinema, radio etc. He is a founding member of Bureau de Son, a coop/collective uniting sound artist Nicolas Becker, drummer/producer Steve Argüelles, bassist/composer/singer Sarah Murcia and himself. He is a lecturer at Hochshule der Künste Bern (CH) since September 2026 and will succeed to British jazz great Django Bates in September 2027.
Awards
[edit source]Benoît was awarded the Prix Jeunes Affiches de la Sacem in 1995 (with collective Kartet). He was also awarded the Prix de la Villa Médicis Hors les Murs in 2001, the Civitella Foundation (NY) fellowship in 2009, and the Prix Beaumarchais (with playwright Dorothée Zumstein) in 2017. Both The Sixth Jump and Circles and Calligrams (songlines) were awarded a Grand Prix International de l'Académie Charles Cros in 2010,[4]
Selected discography
[edit source]As leader/co-leader
[edit source]
1992 — Kartet Hask, with Guillaume Orti, Hubert Dupont, and Benjamin Henocq (Adda)
1993 — Delbecq Quartet, Paintings, with G. Orti, Joe Carver, and S. Argüelles (Deux Z)
1995 — The Recyclers, Rhymes, with Steve Argüelles and Noël Akchoté (Deux Z)
1995 — Jazz Mic Mac, with Serge Adam, André NKouaga, and Emile Biayenda (Doc)
1999 — Kartet, Jellyfishing, with Guillaume Orti, Hubert Dupont, and Chander Sardjoe (Pee Wee)
1999 — Ambitronix, We Da Man, with Steve Argüelles (Plush)
2000 — Delbecq 5, Pursuit, with François Houle, Michael Moore, Jean-Jacques Avenel, and Steve Argüelles (Songlines)
2001 — PianoBook, with Steve Argüelles (Plush)
2001 — Kartet, Jyväskylä, with Guillaume Orti, Hubert Dupont, and Chander Sardjoe (Naïve)
2003 — Piano solo, Nu Turn (Songlines)
2004 — Dice Thrown, with François Houle (Songlines)
2005 — Delbecq Unit, Phonetics, with Mark Turner, Oene Van Geel, Mark Helias, and Emile Biayenda (Songlines)
2006 — Ambitronix, 9V Trippin', with Steve Argüelles (Plush)
2006 — Bleu sur Scène, Marc Ducret and Benoît Delbecq (Sans Bruit)
2007 — Les Amants de Juliette, #4, with Serge Adam and Philippe Foch (Doc)
2008 — Kartet, The Bay Window, with Guillaume Orti, Hubert Dupont, and Chander Sardjoe (Songlines)
2008 — Poolplayers, Way Beneath the Surface, with Arve Henriksen, Lars Juul, and Steve Argüelles (Songlines)
2009 — Duo with Andy Milne, Where Is Pannonica (Songlines)
2010 — Piano solo, Circles and Calligrams (Songlines)
2010 — Delbecq Trio, The Sixth Jump, with Jean-Jacques Avenel and Emile Biayenda (Songlines)
2011 — Silencers, Balance des Blancs, with Kim Myhr, Nils Ostendorf, and Toma Gouband (Sofa Music)
2012 — Benoît Delbecq, Crescendo in Duke (music by Ellington), with Steve Argüelles, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Michael Bland, Tony Coe, Tony Malaby, Antonin-Tri Hoang, Yohannes Tona, and the Hornheads (nato)
2012 — Delbecq and François Houle, Because She Hoped (Songlines)
2013 — Benoît Delbecq and Fred Hersch, Double Trio Fun House, with Fred Hersch, Mark Helias, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Gerry Hemingway, and Steve Argüelles (Songlines)
2014 — Samuel Blaser, Benoît Delbecq, and Gerry Hemingway, 4th Landscape (NuScope)
2014 — Kartet, Grand Laps, with Guillaume Orti, Hubert Dupont, and Stéphane Galland (Songlines)
2015 — Les Amants de Juliette, s'électrolysent, with Serge Adam and Philippe Foch (Doc, vinyl and CD)
2015 — Delbecq 3, Ink, with Miles Perkin and Emile Biayenda (Clean Feed Records)
2016 — Illegal Crowns, with Mary Halvorson, Taylor Ho Bynum, and Tomas Fujiwara (Rogue Art)
2017 — Plug and Pray, Evergreens, with Jozef Dumoulin (dStream)
2017 — Manasonics, Foley, with Steve Argüelles and Nicolas Becker (dStream)
2018 — Jonas Burgwinkel Trio, Medusa Beats, with Petter Eldh and Jonas Burgwinkel (JazzwerkStatt)
2018 — The Recyclers, Davout, with Steve Argüelles and Christophe “Disco” Minck (dStream)
2018 — Benoît Delbecq 4, Spots on Stripes, with Mark Turner, John Hébert, and Gerald Cleaver (Clean Feed)
2019 — Mandhira de Saram and Benoît Delbecq, Spinneret (Confront)
2019 — Illegal Crowns, The No-Nosed Puppet, vinyl record with Mary Halvorson, Taylor Ho Bynum, and Tomas Fujiwara (Rogue Art)
2020 — Hopetown, Claudia Solal and Benoît Delbecq, recorded in 2018 (Rogue Art)
2020 — Deep Ford, You May Cross Here, with Robin Fincker and Sylvain Darrifourcq (BMC)
2021 — The Weight of Light, Benoît Delbecq piano solo (Pyroclastic Records)
2022 — Benoît Delbecq 4, Gentle Ghosts, with Mark Turner, John Hébert, and Gerald Cleaver (Jazzdor Series)
2022 — Silky Way, Kartet, with Guillaume Orti, Hubert Dupont, and Samuel Ber (PEEWEE!)
2022 — 4Hands 1Breath, with Steve Argüelles and Pierre Bastien (dStream)
2023 — Illegal Crowns, Unclosing, with Tomas Fujiwara, Mary Halvorson, and Taylor Ho Bynum (Out Of Your Heads Records)
2023 — Weave 4, with Francesco Bigoni, Francesco Diodati, and Steve Argüelles (Parco Della Musica Records)
2023 — Poise, with François Houle (Afterday Audio)
2023 — Apophonix and Atmosonix (a radio project for Radio France Radiophoniques), with Steve Argüelles, featuring Christophe “Disco” Minck and Nicolas Becker, the Lutoslawski Quartet, Lucy Railton, and others
2024 — Triple Fever, with Etienne Renard and Guilhem Flouzat (dStream)
2026 — Bumper Trio, with Steve Argüelles and Sarah Murcia (dStream)
2026 — Honour Oxygen!, Claudia Solal and Benoît Delbecq (dStream)
2026 — Pendulum, featuring Peter Bruun, Jonas Westergaard, and Benoît Delbecq. Eight digital releases in 2026 leading to a triple-CD box to be released at the end of 2026.
2026 - La Gomma di Dante by Weave4 featuring Francesco Bigoni, Francesco Diodati, Steve Argüelles, Benoit Delbecq (Parcco della musica / Italy)
to be released in 2027: Delbecq solo piano, Delbecq 3, both on dStream.
References
[edit source]- ↑ Shipton, Alyn (2003). John Shepherd (ed.). Continuum encyclopedia of popular music of the world. Continuum. p. 34. ISBN 0826463223.
- ↑ Fordham, John (29 October 2003). "Snapshots from Paris". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ↑ Walters, John (23 January 2004). "Where has all the music gone?". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ↑ Varty, Alexander (15 December 2010). "A little bit of sound advice: Top albums of 2010". Vancouver: Straight.Com. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
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