Quai N°5

UNCLASSICABLE !
The music of Mozart or of Bach as if these geniuses had been Cuban or Czech : in concert, the indescribable display of the artists of Quai N° 5 in a scenography by the singer Juliette. Original compositions from Stéphane Logerot, drawing inspiration from famous classical themes, inviting the masters of the past on a musical odyssey ranging over the whole planet. Five classical musicians, pursuing top level careers, who have chosen in parallel to upset the frontiers of music. An improbable route which erects bridges between cultures and generations, in a brilliant game of “trompe-l’oeil”.

THE MUSICIANS OF QUAI N° 5 have in common their solid classical training, a long list of prizes and awards behind them and excel in the works of the classical repertoire. For all that, they share the same wish to break open the frontiers of music… This urge leads them to want to show a different aspect of classical composers. Well concealed, their works are nevertheless still recognisable beneath their disguise of salsa, tango, blues or even tzigane…what better link between cultures and generations than to bring the Grand Masters of the past to different shores, to different eras from their own? This musical odyssey takes us from one end of the planet to the other, mixing cultures, instruments and popular music of all kinds.

THE OPTIMISM AND NIMBLENESS WITH WHICH QUAI N° 5 travels across musical styles abolishes all cultural frontiers. These five inspired musicians mix cultures and eras, melodies and rhythms in a brilliant game of “trompe-l’oreille” with a contagious humour and obvious pleasure. Their passionate and colourful “classical/world” interpretation makes their creations into a fully fledged work appreciated by the public. This type of project is rarely undertaken by very high level musicians : such is not the case here for behind the name Quai N° 5 are forefront artists : Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian (violin; trio Wanderer, Victoires de la Musique 1997 and 2000, prize winner of several international competitions), Romain Descharmes (piano; international soloist, records acclaimed by the critics), Stéphane Logerot (double bass, guitar, harmonica; member of the National Orchestra of France, partner of Richard Galliano), Jean-Luc Manca (accordion; SACEM prize, first prize in competitions of Geneva and Linz), Paul Mindy (percussion; Charles Cros Prize, Georges Brassens Prize…). Together or separately you have heard them in the biggest festivals such as Jazz in Marciac, Vienna, Montreal, The Hague, Les Folles Journées of Nantes or Lisbon, Jazz in Nice, or in concert halls such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Carnegie Hall of New York, Saint Cecilia in Rome, the Barbican in London, the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Champs Elysée Theatre and the Chatelet Theatre in Paris…

Stéphane LOGEROT
Son and grandson of reputed double bass players, Stéphane LOGEROT was unanimously awarded First Prize in double bass at the Paris National Music Conservatory. He then studied composition for film scores as well as orchestration with David Angel (Universal Studio). Member of the French National Orchestra since 1994, he is also a recognised chamber music player and improviser. Partner in groups such as the trio Wanderer, the Borodine and Modigliani quartets, of Richard Galliano, the Fine Arts quartet, Fazil Say, and Yuri Bashmet or Daniel Hoppe, he has also accompanied Michel Legrand, Harry Connick Jr, and of course has been in the albums of Juliette and Régine. It is through the pieces he has written for Quai N° 5, of which he is the founder, that he has united his two loves : classical music and popular music.

Romain DESCHARMES
First prize in the Dublin International Competition, Romain DESCHARMES has given recitals in several prestigious venues : Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Minato Mirai Hall in Yokohama, Tsuda Hall in Tokyo….He has been invited in the USA, England, Ireland, Italy, France, Japan, China, notably with the Midland Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Orchestra del Lazio and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. His first disc recorded with Claudio Records is dedicated to Brahms. He has just recorded Ravel with Audite records.

Jean-Marc PHILLIPS VARJABEDIAN
After studies in the Paris Conservatory, at Cremona, and at the Juilliard School in New York, Jean-Marc Phillips VARJABEDIAN has performed with orchestras (London Symphony Orchestra, the Pasdeloup, Lamoureux, Colonne Orchestras, the National Orchestras of France and Ile de France, the Philarmonic Orchestra of Radio France…) as well as in recitals and chamber music. Member of the Trio Wanderer with whom he has led an international career (the Trio has been invited to more than 70 countries and has made 7 records with Harmonia Mundi), he is also interested in other forms of music : he is the founder of a septet with Richard Galliano around