Amarco

Finnish and Baltic tour, September 2010
Vincent Courtois > cello
Guillaume Roy > viola
Claude Tchamitchian > double bass

Assembled on my initiative, and created in December 2006, this trio fulfils a dream we’ve shared for a long time now, where we meet up to exchange ideas and experiences. We assume our choice of completely acoustic improvised concerts without hesitation. The magical geometry of the trio, the sum of our experiences, the desire to invent textures, chants and structures in situ goes beyond each individual to form a joyous momentum at the heart of this group so wide open to every possible possibility…
Claude Tchamitchian
For more than twenty years Vincent Courtois, Guillaume Roy and Claude Tchamitchian have all been asserting their musical personality and their “difference” as three unclassifiable figures from the jazz and new music scene in France. The trio’s commitment to spontaneous, on-the-spot music and the close, careful attention its members pay to each other cannot fail to force the listener’s admiration and respect. I invited them to take part in the Ultra Music series at the Pori Jazz Festival in July 2008, and after that performance, I knew it was absolutely imperative to bring them back for more than just a single concert. This happens now in the beginning of the Autumn 2010. Starting on September 14th, their intensive tour program consists of 11 concerts in Finland, 2 in Latvia and 3 in Estonia. Sixteen concerts to Enjoy the music of Amarco on both sides of the Gulf of Finland!
Charles Gil
Tour Program
14/09 Kerava, hyvinvointikeskus (FIN) / also Heikki Nikula & Teppo Hauta-Aho
15/09 Joensuu, konservatorio (FIN)
16/09 Ylivieska, Akustiikka (FIN)
17/09 Raahe, Huvimylly (FIN)
18/09 Äänekoski, Kaupungintalo (FIN)
19/09 Jämsä, Hiidenkirnu (FIN)
20/09 Jyväskylä, Siltasali (FIN)
21/09 Pori, Palmgren sali (FIN)
22/09 Salo, Kiva-sali (FIN)
23/09 Helsinki, Laulumiehet (FIN) / Amarco & Jari Hongisto
24/09 Loviisa, Gymnasium (FIN) / Amarco & Jari Hongisto
25/09 Ventspils, Theatre Juras Varti (LT)
26/09 Madona, House of Culture (LT)
28/09 Tartu, Vanemuise Concert hall (EST) / Eesti Kontsert
29/09 Tallinn, Estonia Winter garden (EST) / Eesti Konsert
30/09 Jõhvi, Jõhvi Concert Hall (EST) / Eesti Kontsert
Vincent Courtois’ personal itinerary alone will give some idea of his eclecticism (Louis Sclavis, The Rita Mitsouko, Rabih Abou Khalil, Michel Petrucciani…) This same guiding spirit is behind his regular work in Europe nowadays with partners such as Ellery Eskelin, Sylvie Courvoisier, Michèle Rabbia and Marilyn Crispell; and has also led to work with labels such as Enja and CamJazz. His quartet “What do you mean by silence” toured Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Estonia and Finland in autumn 2009.
Guillaume Roy founded the Ixi Quartet in 1993 and since then has constantly been exploring the relationship between composed and improvised music. As an instrumentalist he’s worked with various partners (Louis Sclavis, Joachim Kühn…) as well as working on the relationship between music and live theatre over the last few years. His role in the latter exploration has been twofold – that of composer of incidental and dance music and that of performer or actor. He played with the Ixi Quartet at Pori Jazz Festival in 2004 and toured in Estonia on the invitation of Eesti Kontsert, as well as Finland in 2006.
Like Vincent and Guillaume, Claude Tchamitichian is very present on the European scene both as leader (Lousadzak, Ways out) and sideman (Eric Watson, Andy Emler, Christof Lauer, Linda Sharrock, Mat Maneri, Herb Robertson…). He also shows a clear commitment to mixed practices (music and dance, music and theatre). Since 1996 he’s made numerous appearances in Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltic countries.
concert video and interview (French): www.oc-tv.net/trio-tchamitchian-courtois-roy.htm
Tour production
Emouvance (Marseille, France) www.emouvance.com
Charles Gil – Vapaat äänet (Helsinki, Finland) www.vapaataanet.fi
The tour is supported by:

And is part of the French Autumn in Finland www.ranskalainensyksy.fi