Louis Winsberg

Louis Winsberg is a guitarist French. Guitarist of the group of jazz-rock'n'roll Sixun.

Louis Winsberg is born with Marseilles in 1963, parents painters. He lives with Eygalières, in the south of France, where he begins the training of the guitar at 12 years, surrounded by many friends gipsies. He grows with the members of a gipsy family of Arles and Tarascon, Los Reyes, which will become famous in the whole world under the name of the Gipsy Kings. The Louis young person studies the Jazz, is registered with the academy of Cavaillon, but it carries in him all cordial sonorities and the festive atmospheres of the music gipsy. He works the traditional guitar during two years, and learns the jazz as an autodidact. He takes part nevertheless in training courses directed by Christian Escoudé, Gerard Marais, Eric Boell and Laurent Roubach.

In 1979, Louis Winsberg is 16 years old: he settles in Paris to study the guitar and is registered with the musical college of Sevres. He quickly starts to occur in the clubs of Parisian jazz and, in 1980, records on disc for the first time with Los Reyes an album entitled " The festivals of Holy-Marry mer". In 1983, it takes part in the National competition of Jazz of Defense (created in 1977) and gains the first price of soloist.

It becomes this same year professor to the CIM, celebrates Parisian school of jazz directed by fire Alain Guerrini. This institution is a true fish pond of musicians where one meets among the teachers of the raftered and tested jazzmen, but also of young talents in becoming like Louis Winsberg. At that time, the CIM are a single place which gathers a whole world of the jazz and alive musics. The best pupils of the best schools and academies come to the CIM to follow courses, to listen to concerts, to play (jam sessions), to make meetings, to assemble groups, to find dates in concert…

It is in this environment of musical boiling that it makes in 1984 a determining meeting, that of the pianist Jean-Pierre Como. Musicalement and humanly, they get along very well and decide to form a group. Jean-Pierre Como brings the beater Paco Séry, with which it plays in the orchestra of Pierre Vassiliu. Paco Séry invites the bass player Michel Alibo and the percussionnist Abdou Me Boup, and on its side Louis contacts the saxophonist Alain Debiossat. After a first memorable concert in Caf' Conc' (Paris), it is in 1984 the official birth of an extraordinary group, Sixun, which remains one of the more French musical great adventures (9 albums, 1 DVD, of the hundreds in concerts throughout the world…).

In 1985, Sixun publishes its first disc Sleepless nights, produced by Alain Guerrini. Parallel to this formation flamer, Louis Winsberg made of many musical meetings of importance (Elizabeth Caumont, Antoine Herve, Eric Lann…). In 1985 always, it records in company of Jean-Pierre Como, François Laizeau and Jean Bardy the Southern album of the young trumpet player Antoine Illouz. In 1986, Louis devotes himself mainly to Sixun, which records its second album Pygmies.

One finds it in 1987 on " New York " , the disc of the trumpet player Eric Lann. This recording enables him to appear at the sides " stars" Mike Stern and Mino Cinélu (companions of Miles Davis) and Eddie Gum (double bass player of Bill Evans, Steps Ahead, Steve Gadd Group). The guitarist of Sixun decides from 1987 to affirm himself as leader of a training in which it will be able to carry out a more personal project. It forms a trio (with Tony Rabeson with the battery and the percussions and Jean-Rene Dalerci with the double bass) in which it is expressed with the guitar and the bouzouki. He delivers his compositions and serious end 1988 the album " Appassionata ".

This year leaves " Explores " , third album of Sixun, followed in 1989 by the " Live" , album in concert of the group and 1990 by " the water from there ". It is the period headlight of the sextet labelled " Jazz fusion " who takes his take-off with the beginning of the year ninety. It is also at this period that the guitarist leaves its second album as a leader " Camino" with musicians emblematic of the new scene of the hexagonal jazz (Stephan Huchard, Dominique Di Piazza, Marc Berthoumieux, Kirt Rust…). It forms for the scene a four-bit byte which obtains one big hit, which enables him to carry out a great round in France and Africa, and to take part in Midem 1992.

Another experiment for Louis Winsberg during this time favourable with creation: he works with the company of contemporary dance the Draft (Joelle Bouvier/Régis Obadia) for which he composes the music of " Full soleil" (representations in company of Sylvain Luc, Jean-Pierre Como and Stephan Huchard with the World Fair of Seville, the Festival of Avignon, the Garnier Opera in Paris).

Sixun signs at Liveliness-Polygram in 1992, for the publication of two albums and of a compilation. The same year, Louis records " Small already… " a duet of guitars with Sylvain Luc, the other exceptionally gifted one of the six-cords. It also takes part in the disc of Jean-Pierre Como " Soléa". In 1993 " leaves; Nomads land" , first album of Sixun at Liveliness-Polygram. One can also hear the guitar of Louis on the disc " Cano" of the percussionnist Louis Cesar Ewandé, and on " Ametys" of the double bass player Diego Imbert.

In 1994, the members of Sixun decide to try the experiment new yorkaise. They settle in Brooklyn where they live for six months in community. They make many meetings with artists who make them dream, as Joe Zawinul (the musicians of Sixun gathered around one only common reference: Weather Carryforward). They occur on scene and record " Lunatic Taxi" (which appears in 1995) with the James Farber sound engineer in the prestigious studios of Power Station. This adventure does not prevent Louis Winsberg from being reproduced on the first album of the pianist Alfio Origlio and on " Paris-Roma" express train; of its faithful pianist Jean-Pierre Como. On this recording, one can hear two young people " souffleurs" still unknown Italian: the trumpet player Flavio Boltro and the saxophonist Stefano Di Battista.

After the publication of " Lunatic Taxi" , Sixun carries out in 1996 a long round through Europe and Asia. At the conclusion, Louis devotes himself fully to his personal universe and records " Dance of the vent" , its third project solo (which precede what will be Jaleo) with an hard core made up of Marc Berthoumieux, Norbert Lucarain, Stephan Huchard and Christophe Wallemme. One finds already strong flamenco influences in the compositions of the leader, coloured by the presence of many guests.

The disc leaves 1997. Extremely well accommodated, it is followed of an important round to France and Africa. At that time Louis Winsberg studies flamenco and frequent musicians resulting from this medium. This same year, he works for Doky Brothers, with which he records several albums and makes a round in Scandinavia in company of Gino Vannelli and Randy Brecker.

In 1998, Louis appears on many projects: discs of the Danish pianist Niels Lan Doky, the double bass player also Danish Chris Minh Doky (brother of the pianist), of the accordionist Marc Berthoumieux (" Colors from here ")… and records " Vague" news; , the ninth album of Sixun, which leaves to Warner. The group makes a round in France to present this recording.

To the beginning of the year 1999, Louis Winsberg leaves for Africa and in the Indian Ocean with the quintet the " Dance of the vent". In same time two discs appear in which it took part: " Laddé" brothers Touré-Touré (who were invited of Sixun on the last album) like " Tribal Traquenard" , first solo project of the beater Stephan Huchard.

In April 1999, it carries out a series in concerts within the quintet of Marc Berthoumieux, to present on scene " Colors from here " , round which will take them along to Mexico.

In 2000, Louis organizes evenings improvised with the Kiss Salted (Parisian club) under the topic " Winsberg World Work". Following one evening flamenco, it sets up the Jaleo project with which it will carry out a creation at the time of a two month old residence in the Phoenix of Valencians (national scene). At the same moment, the FNEIJ (National federation of the Schools of Jazz Influence) entrusts the writing of the " project to him; Mêlées" ways; , with which he plays ten concerts and carries out the Kékanta album. Its meeting with Yvan Cassar leads it to take part in the album " Immédiat" loading; of Claude Nougaro and " Aznavour 2000" of… Charles Aznavour! 2001 are one year important in the career of Louis Winsberg: soft creation of the trio France, collaboration with Dee Dee Bridgewater, publication of the first disc of Jaleo. In Douce France it is in company of Stephan Huchard and Christophe Wallemme. This trio is devoted to the second reading of French songs that everyone knows. It is a very open unit, which does not repeat, and which makes it possible to the leader to expose all his luggage of jazzman and guitarist, to improvise on topics which he did not write, to harmonize with leisure the melodies which touch it. With the singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, he collaborates in the new spectacle which it creates around the songs of Kurt Weill.

2001 mark the birth of the first album of the Jaleo project, which proposes a musical universe with crossroads between Andalusia, the Camargue and India: eight original parts of Louis Winsberg to the influences multiple but carried by the eight musicians of the group (Norbert Lucarain with the vibraphone and marimba, Nanda KUMAR with counted, Jean-Baptiste Marino with the guitar flamenca, Jose Montealegre with the song, Jean-Christophe Maillard with the saz and the guitars, Isabel Pelaez with the palmas, song and dance, Miguel Sanchez with the cajon and electric Louis with the guitars, bouzouki, sitar, mandoline, oud…).

One can also find the guitarist with the plural course on " Listen up! " of Chris Minh Doky, on " Passegiatta" of Alfio Origlio, on " Thalisma" of the percussionnist Miguel Sanchez, on the B.O of the film " August 15th " of Patrick Alessandrin…

In 2002, its collaboration with Dee Dee Bridgewater gives rise to the disc " This is new" (on the label Liveliness-Universal) at the sides of Thierry Eliez (organ & piano), d´André Ceccarelli (battery), of Nicolas Folmer (trumpet) or Juan Jose Mosalini (bandonion). On this project also the Argentinian percussionnist Minino Garay is reproduced, who engraves its first disc in France with Los Tambores LED On which it invites Louis Winsberg. One can find the guitarist on the album " Mediterrànéo" from Paris Jazz Big Band (orchestra directed by Pierre Bertrand and Nicolas Folmer) which wants to be a homage to the musics of the south, and which makes it possible to hear in the incisive phrased context of big band impregnated one of flamenco of Louis Winsberg.

In 2003, the guitarist records the album " Sobat' ek lamour" of the pianist réunionnais Meddy Gerville, then into 2004 the two " projects; jumeaux" of Marc Berthoumieux (" Jazz No Jazz" , vol. 1 & 2).

In 2005, Sixun reconsiders the front of the scene for its 20 years. After evenings époustouflantes with the Cicada, the group publishes a live DVD and sets out again on the scenes of the festivals and the French big cities for a series in memorable concerts, with a newcomer with the percussions, the young person Stephan Edouard. It is also into 2005 that Dee Dee Bridgewater undertakes to reinterpret the large standards of the French song (written by Trénet, Nougaro, Ferré…) on an album entitled " I have two amours" with the assistance of Louis Winsberg but also of Marc Berthoumieux, from Minino Garay and the double bass player Coleman Will go (known to have played a long time with Tony Williams).

In May 2005, Louis creates his spectacle " Three Afriques" for the festival of Coutances. In his constant desire to join together sounds, to create new bridges between the cultures and to widen the musical ways, Louis Winsberg carries on his road towards " of Afriques" as various as powerful, connected by the songs and the rates/rhythms which will come here côtoyer quite naturally, of the Maghreb in Senegal to Madagascar. Around the guitarist, cords, voices and percussions are ensured by Sha Rakotofiringa, Diogal Sakho, Jean-Christophe Maillard and Karim Ziad.

Since 2006, the guitarist traverses mainly the largest music scenes with Sixun, Jaleo and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Lately, he collaborated in the disc " Around Jaco" of the bass player Frederic Monino, project which pays homage to legendary Jaco Pastorius in company of Stephan Huchard, the harmonicist Olivier Ker Ourio or the vibraphonist Franck Tortiller.

In 2007, Louis publishes the album " Soft France" on emotive records (with Stephan Huchard and Ira Coleman, but also Christophe Wallemme and Maurane as guests). Of Georges Brassens in Claude Nougaro while passing through Laurent Voulzy or Serge Gainsbourg, the guitarist revisits without care the standards of the French song and adapts without nostalgia the popular melodies which rock the imaginary one the listeners.

Louis Winsberg is a guitarist with the single course in the European musical landscape, whose style, sound and phrased are immediately identifiable. Recognized for his personality and his immense musical quality, this artist with the multiple roots can praise himself of an exemplary career: as a leader or sideman, it forever ceased being itself.

Discography (Solo)

2007 Soft France
1997 Dance of the Wind
1994 Small Already
1990 Camino
1987 Appassionata

External bonds

Official site

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