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| Radio France Big Band | |
|---|---|
| Name | Radio France Big Band |
| Origin | Paris, France |
| Genre | Jazz, Big band, Contemporary jazz |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Label | Radio France, Universal, ECM, Harmonia Mundi |
| Associated acts | Orchestre National de France, Quatuor Ébène, Trilok Gurtu, Michel Legrand |
Radio France Big Band The Radio France Big Band is a French large ensemble based in Paris closely associated with Radio France and resident at the Maison de la Radio. The ensemble performs a repertoire spanning big band jazz, contemporary jazz and orchestral jazz, collaborating with international soloists and conductors from New York City to Tokyo. The group appears at festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Jazz à Vienne festival and the Nice Jazz Festival, and records for labels including Universal Music Group and ECM Records.
Formed from studio orchestras maintained by Radio France in the 1970s and reorganized during reforms under directors such as Jean Maheu and Pascal Rogé, the ensemble evolved alongside institutions like the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Maîtrise de Radio France. Its development intersected with shifts in French cultural policy during administrations of presidents such as François Mitterrand and Nicolas Sarkozy, and with programming initiatives at venues like the Maison de la Radio and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. The big band gained prominence through broadcasts on stations including France Musique and tours promoted by organizations like the Institut français.
The ensemble's repertoire blends arrangements from the Swing era, charts by arrangers linked to Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Glen Miller, and compositions by European modernists such as Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, and Maria Schneider. Programs often juxtapose works by French composers including Michel Legrand, Boris Vian, and Django Reinhardt with commissions by contemporary figures like Carla Bley, John Hollenbeck, and Enrico Rava. The band performs adaptations of works from the catalogs of Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk and integrates influences from world musicians such as Manu Katché and Anouar Brahem.
Membership draws from principal players associated with ensembles such as the Orchestre National de France, conservatories including the Conservatoire de Paris, and freelance musicians active on the Paris jazz scene. Notable leaders and conductors who have directed the group include Marie-Christine Biet (administrative directors at Radio France), guest conductors from New York Philharmonic circles, and jazz directors who have worked with artists like Stéphane Grappelli and Richard Galliano. Soloists appearing with the band have included instrumentalists connected to Blue Note Records, ACT Music, and ECM.
The ensemble's discography appears on labels such as Radio France Records, Universal Music Group, Harmonia Mundi, and ECM Records, featuring sessions that document collaborations with artists like Michel Legrand, Enrico Rava, John Scofield, and Cécile McLorin Salvant. Live recordings capture performances at venues and festivals including the Aix-en-Provence Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Festival des Vieilles Charrues. Selected projects include studio albums produced by engineers affiliated with studios used by Daniel Lanois and mixing engineers who worked with Pat Metheny.
The band has commissioned works from composers and arrangers linked to institutions like the IRCAM and the Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique (SACEM), and collaborated with soloists such as Michel Portal, Archie Shepp, Ornette Coleman-era associates, and contemporary singers tied to labels like Decca Records. Cross-disciplinary projects have involved choreographers from companies such as the Ballet National de Marseille and filmmakers whose scores reference composers like Maurice Jarre and Henri Dutilleux.
Residencies at the Maison de la Radio and concert series at Paris venues including the Salle Pleyel and the Théâtre du Châtelet anchor the group's programming, while international tours have brought the ensemble to cities including New York City, London, Tokyo, Berlin, Rome, and festival stages such as the Montreux Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival. Cultural diplomacy tours have been organized in partnership with agencies like the Institut français and ministries including the Ministry of Culture (France).
The ensemble and its projects have been recognized by institutions such as the Victoires du Jazz, nominated for awards associated with SACEM and honored in press coverage by outlets including Le Monde, Libération, and The New York Times. Recordings have been shortlisted for distinctions connected to Grammy Awards categories and European awards administered by panels involving members from organizations like Académie Charles Cros.
Category:French jazz ensembles Category:Big bands Category:Radio France