Cédric Hanriot: French Stories

Cédric Hanriot, piano, fender rhodes, keyboards, organ, programming; John Patitucci, upright / electric bass; Terri Lyne Carrington, drums, vocals; Benjamin Powell, violin; Patrick Owen, cello; 2TH vocals

tracklisting
1. Louisiana | 2. La chanson des vieux amants 3 Crunkie | 4. Your sweetness | 5. Prélude 6. Mambo | 7. Tribal poem | 8. Que marianne était jolie | 9. Le jazz et la java | 10. Hymne à l'amour

Only 12 years after he earned his first spurs playing the piano, he is back here after an initiatory trip in the US, around NYC and the Berklee College of Music. An incomparable source of experiences that enabled him to work with the likes of Me'shell Ndegeocello, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Lovano, and Cindy Blackman. Cédric brought back with a stimulatingly spontaneous album, recorded on a sunny day of August 2009 with John Patitucci and Terri Lyne Carrington. And the drummer is full of praise for him: "Cédric is one of the most talented musicians I know. It is incredible to see all he has accomplished in so little time. He will accomplish great things...".
Listening to "French Stories" makes it obvious that, far from getting astray in a "made in USA" project where his inventive personality could have pushed into the background, Cédric Hanriot dares the invigorating alchemy of a composite and firmly contemporary jazz.
The strings and the Electro sounds in his music never disown his love for French popular tunes - hence the peculiar recreations of four French "chansons" on this album.
The stories told by Cédric Hanriot enthusiastically illustrate the musical journey of multifaceted artist - pianist, composer, arranger, sound designer, producer - who will soon be discussed again