“Les Frères Méduses”

A JELLYFISH HISTORY

Benoît Albert and I began our duo in Paris a dozen years ago.   We needed to complete our “chamber music” education at the Paris Conservatory (CNSMDP) so we came up with the (rather unoriginal) idea of making a guitar duo.  Plenty of great music to choose from, and something we could both understand.   After a years work, we practiced hard, managed to play a few concerts around France, made a short-length recording and came away with a first prize from the Paris Conservatory.

After graduating, we arrived into the real world and found that we needed real jobs.

Benny got his teaching position in Agen, and I proceeded to move all over the place (Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oslo, Bergen) .  It wasn’t until 2008 when we met again and decided to pick up from where we left off.  We played again for the first time in fall 2009 at the Asstaford Festival in France.   Now we are booking concerts well into 2012.

WHAT WE DO

The concerts focus on three different performance areas: interpretation, composition, and improvisation.  Our current program includes interpretations of some of the modern masterworks written for two guitars (Piazzolla, Brouwer), some of our own compositions (Silly Songs by Avers/Vamos, L’egoland by Albert), and free and thematic improvisation entitled “Noise”.    In January, we made the recording “Ten Years After…”  which includes recorded performances from our original duo in 1999, and our reformed duo in 2009.  You can listen to samples of the recording on the “listen” page. (Though you cannot buy it… yet)

Next steps are to include more ethnic Balkan and Brazilian music in the repertoire.  Also, we ‘ll be arranging music from two of our most beloved musician/guitarists, Ralph Towner and Pat Metheny.

COFFEE MUG

Honestly, I have been drinking from this mug everyday since January.  When I am over at Benny’s place, I drink out of his mug there.  I can’t get away from it.  It’s everywhere!!!

If you want one too, just contact me so I can include you in on the new order.

Design was by Jennifer Avers-Benson.  Thanks Jenn.

BOOKING:

DAN McDANIEL, LLC – Chicago IL.