Céline Bonacina Trio

The baritone-saxophone has a reputation of being an exclusively male-employed instrument. The sheer size alone helps preserve this prejudice.

Céline Bonacina has set off to put an end to it. Not only does this young woman from France play the unhandy instrument masterly, she enchants it. In her hands, the colossus among the saxophones sounds as if it weren’t heavier than a piccolo flute. Her characteristically full, ornamentally rolling tone prances with swinging effortlessness. A distant echo from Stephane Grappelli seems to be present. This is French jazz in its best tradition, without even slightly being traditional. To the contrary – the trio’s urban grooves with their subtle allusions to funk, dub, reggae and Afrobeat radiates the irresistible aura of youthful vitality and jovial urbanity.

Guitarist Nguyên Lê who was featured on Céline’s latest Album Way Of Life praises her ability to merge contradictions and extremes in an effortless and very natural way: “I couldn’t stop admiring the vitality and beauty of her music and constantly discovering new forms of diversity and exceptional expression in her”, enthuses he. “This young woman has the will and urge to break through boundaries and set herself apart from the masses and this also made her choose such an impressive instrument as the baritone saxophone on which she plays on most the tracks of the album. During our work together I was always discovering new facets of her artistic personality. There is such a contrast between Céline’s graceful appearance, her gentle and spiritual yet also slightly impish manner, and the fire which burns in every single one of her sounds.”

Lineup

Céline Bonacina baritone, alto and soprano sax, vocals
Kevin Reveyrand e-bass
Hary Ratsimbazafy drums, percussion