Moutin Reunion in Paris, Photo courtesy of Ursula K

“Evoking the patina of old-world cities and the allure of drowning memories…”

--Franz Matzner, All About Jazz 
 

Celebrating a decade of cross cultural collaboration, The Moutin Reunion ensemble is recognized as one of the most empathetic and inspired units in modern jazz. Led by twins bassist Francois and drummer Louis Moutin, with partners pianist Pierre de Bethmann and American saxophonist Rick Margitza, Moutin Reunion tours the Midwest in June with stops at the Green Mill in Chicago (June 20-21), Trio’s in South Bend (June 22), the Inside Out Gallery in Traverse City, MI (June 23), Firefly in Ann Arbor (June 25), and Cliff Bell’s in Detroit (June 26) before heading back to Europe via New York (55 Bar on June 27, Syracuse Jazz Festival June 28). 

Louis and Francois Moutin created the Moutin Reunion Quartet ten years ago as an outlet for performing their original compositions, a goal shared with de Bethmann and Margitza. Over the past five years, the Quartet has toured throughout Europe and the U.S., generating high praise wherever they go. The Moutin Reunion Quartet was nominated for the French award, "Les Victoires du Jazz 2006" (as French Jazz Artist of the Year); François and Louis Moutin won the prestigious "Prix Django Reinhardt 2005." Their fourth recording, Sharp Turns, was released last year on BlueJazz. 

The Paris-born Moutin brothers were encouraged by their parents to pursue music from early childhood. Francois first studied guitar from age 5, adding piano at age 11 and finally realized his lifelong love for the acoustic bass as a teenager. Studying mathematics and physics in college, Francois earned an undergraduate degree in engineering and a doctorate in physics at age 24. Music was the stronger calling, however, and at age 29 he formed the Quintet Moutin with twin Louis, by then a top echelon jazz drummer. In November 1997, Francois relocated to New York where he has found steady work in live performance and studio sessions with the premier artists on the New York Jazz Scene, and where Quintet Moutin evolved into the current Moutin Reunion Quartet. 

At age 7, Louis Moutin began teaching himself to play piano, turning to jazz drumming at age 20. Trained as an engineer at the prestigious Ecole Centrale and receiving a Masters Degree in Mathematics, Louis, like his twin brother, decided to abandon a career in technology to pursue music fulltime. He became a member of the very successful Machado Trio, performing frequently in the international jazz festival network. Collaboration with brother soon Francois followed.

Pierre de Bethmann began classical music studies at age 6, and by age 12 had discovered the world of jazz. He earned degrees in classical and jazz studies, including a year at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After working in management consulting from 1990 until 1994, he too switched careers to become a professional musician in 1995. A year earlier, he had founded the trio Prysm with Christophe Wallemme and Benjamin Henocq, which won the first prize of the National Jazz Contest of La Defense. deBethmann continues to perform with Prysm, touring internationally and recording four albums on Blue Note. 

A highly regarded saxophonist on the international jazz scene, Rick Margitza is one of the most respected musicians of his generation. Inspired by John Coltrane, Michael Brecker and Wayne Shorter, he played oboe before switching to tenor sax in high school, attended Wayne State University, Berklee, the University of Miami, and finally Loyola University in New Orleans.  For four years he worked in New Orleans and toured with Maynard Ferguson before moving to New York in 1988. There he joined Miles Davis' group, appearing on three albums--Amandla, Live Around the World and Live in Montreux. After cutting three albums for Blue Note during 1989-1991, he recorded five more solo albums and collaborations with such artists as Maria Schneider, Chick Corea and McCoy Tyner. 

Moutin Brothers photo courtesy of Ursula K

The Moutin Reunion Quartet’s summer tour:

• June 20-21 at the Green Mill in Chicago (www.greenmilljazz.com)
• June 22 at Trio’s in South Bend, IN (http://www.triossb.com/trios-jazz-club.cfm)
• June 23 at the Insideout Gallery in Traverse City, MI (231/929-3254)
• June 25 at Firefly in Ann Arbor, MI (www.fireflyclub.com)
• June 26 at Cliff Bell’s in Detroit (www.cliffbells.com)
• June 27 at 55 Bar in Manhattan (www.55bar.com)
• June 28 at the Syracuse Jazz Festival (http://v2.syracusejazzfest.com)

Click here for a review of the Moutin Reunion Quartet’s gig at the Dakota in Minneapolis in January 2006. For more on the Moutin Reunion Quartet, visit the band website at http://moutin.com