Jean-Marc Foltz grew up between the classical repertoire, vocal music and swing orchestras. He then went through a series of fruitful zigzags, triggered by his acute musical curiosity and favored by timely encounters. Widely experienced in classical interpretation, he was soon attracted by contemporary music.
This brought him to enter, from 1988 on, the ensembles Accroche Note, Musikfabrik, InterContemporain or United Instruments of Lucillin (France, Germany, Luxembourg… the trans-border tropism?), which helped him to dig deeper into the instrumentalist-composer relationship and to develop his knowledge of the languages.
Being open to the diversity of jazz “families”, he tied strong links — from 2000 on — with bassist Claude Tchamitchian (Grand Lousadzak), pianist Bill Carrothers (Armistice Band, Playday, To The Moon), clarinetists Armand Angster and Sylvain Kassap (Trio de Clarinettes), and overall pianist Stéphan Oliva and bassist Bruno Chevillon, who became partners and friends in duo or trio setting…
Jean-Marc Foltz is a polyglot and has the stock of knowledge of an insatiable traveler. Hence his move towards traditional musicians Araïk Bartikian and Keyvan Chemirani, towards theater with Hanna Schygulla, or playing along with harpist Anja Linder. Hence his urge to develop his own compositions and to imagine “Visions Fugitives” — a new duo program — with Stéphan Oliva.
The creation, in a “trio setting” initiated by Philippe Mouratoglou and with producer Philippe Ghielmetti, of Vision Fugitive, an eclectic record label, sounds like a logical follow up to Foltz’s intense, open approach to music.
Written by Thierry Quénum
Photo credit : Laetitia Lecuyer / Henri SELMER Paris
