BELLE DU BERRY & DAVID LEWIS

Belle du Berry, as her name suggests, grew up in the rural Berry region in the center of France. After studying cinema in Paris, she got her first musical experiences in post-punk bands in the late 1980s and, not surprisingly, in the "rural rock" group Les Endimanchés (The Sunday Bests). Initially a (rare) specialist of the bass drum, she later took up the accordion and was a part of Champêtre de Joie, a musical revue which explored French song from the early 20th century, performing acoustically - the group also worked with Philippe Découflé, performing in the choreographer's closing ceremony for the Albertville Winter Olympics in 1992.

From these encounters emerged the group Paris Combo, performing an eclectic, original repertoire in cafés and barges on the river Seine - in 1997 the group, fronted by Belle's vocals recorded their first eponymous album on the (now) historic French independent label, Boucherie (Butchery). By 1999, their follow-up release, "Living-Room", allowed Paris Combo to expand their popularity in France, with a gold-record (over 200,000 sold worldwide).

With their four studio records (“Attraction” in 2001 and “Motifs” in 2004) and a double-live album, Paris Combo created its own unique world, establishing itself as one of the most piquant, intriguing groups in French song. Paris Combo has toured extensively in and outside France, including 12 tours of the US and trips to Australia, Brazil, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. At the end of 2005, having performed over 100 concerts including venues ranging from the Grand Rex in Paris to the Hollywood Bowl in L.A., the group decided to take an extended break from touring and recording.

David Lewis grew up in the small town of Hamilton in Victoria, Australia, and began studying piano and performing on trumpet in school bands.

He continued his musical studies at Melbourne University and then traveled to Sweden, then Paris, to study trumpet in the early 1980s. While studying at the Paris Conservatoire he also premiered a number of new works for trumpet with the collective N.A.M.E. (New American Music in Paris). After graduation, his attraction to jazz and popular music finally got the upper-hand and he began to perform at jazz venues such as the New Morning and in a wide range of professional situations, including a short stint at the Folies Bergères...

In 1991 he joined Manu Dibango's group and toured extensively through Europe and Africa, including a historic tour of South Africa in 1993. He has also recorded and toured with many Paris-based artists including Italian singer Gianmaria Testa, Lokua Kanza, John Greaves and Arthur H and the Bachibouzouk Band.

It was while performing at the original Cabaret Sauvage at la Villette in Paris that he first worked