Continental Sensation Paris Combo Swings into QPAC

The seductively swinging Paris Combo will make their Queensland debut in a one night only concert on Monday 20 March 2017 in QPAC's Concert Hall, as part of a five-city Australian tour.

As diverse and sophisticated as the city from which they hail, Paris Combo has garnered global acclaim and an immense following for their unique, fun-loving blend of swinging gypsy jazz, cabaret, French pop and Latino and Middle Eastern rhythms.

Six albums and two decades spent criss-crossing the globe, playing to enthusiastic audiences from Sydney to San Francisco and Berlin to Beijing have enabled France's Paris Combo to create a unique cosmopolitan sound, establishing them as one of the most piquant and intriguing groups on the international music scene. Seattle Times calls Paris Combo, "My favorite French cultural export of the past decade."

Fronted by the charismatic vocals of chanteuse Belle du Berry, Paris Combo is David Lewis (trumpet, flugelhorn, piano), Potzi (guitar), François Jeannin (drums, background vocals) and Benoît Dunoyer de Segonzac (double bass).

Belle du Berry, Potzi and François Jeannin first performed together in Paris as members of quirky retro revue Les Champêtres de Joie, going on to collaborate at the closing ceremony of the Albertville Winter Olympic Games in 1992.

Australian-born trumpeter and pianist, David Lewis met du Berry in the 90's while performing together in a Spiegel Tent at the "Cabaret Sauvage" revue and they began to hone their sound, playing in cafes and barges along the Seine River following the arrival of Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac (double bass) in 1995.

Paris Combo's fascinating blend reflects its members' individual influences; du Berry's post-punk band musical roots, Potzi's Django-inspired guitar, Jeannin's diverse grooves, and Lewis' experience in playing with a wide variety of Parisian artists including Manu Dibango and Arthur H.

The mainstream success of their second album Living Room (2000) gave Paris Combo a unique status as a French Indie band capable of drawing crowds not only in France, where the album went gold, but also in Australia and the USA where they have chalked up over twenty tours.

After a five-year hiatus, the group returned to performing, making its US comeback in 2011 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and went on to release their fifth album, simply entitled «5», on the DRG/eOne label. Media response to «5» was enthusiastic and in 2013-14, they sold out venues across the country with their first US tours in a decade and a triumphant return to Australia in 2015.

The group's current Australian tour coincides with the release of their latest album, Takotsubo, which will be released in Australia on The Planet label on 10 February 2017.

The quintet's concert will include songs from this new album which leads audiences through a deliciously varied collection of musical atmospheres, ranging from the intimacy of the live combo to more lush orchestral settings and beautiful 60's retro à la Bacharach with psychedelic overtones.

Don't miss the chance to see this global sensation at QPAC's Concert Hall for one-night only Monday 20 March 2017. Tickets on sale now at qpac.com.au or phone 136-246.

Photo credit: Jorge-Fidel-Alvarez.

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