Re: [Harp-L] Gregoire Marais [Maret]

[Bobbie Giordano <bogio@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mox, his name is actually spelled Maret... try that, or just go to his 
website at http://www.gregoiremaret.com/ .  He's been making a lot of 
rounds in recent years, even was at SPAH in Dallas in 2003.  He's 
somethin', alright!

On 7/21/2006 9:41:45 AM, gowland (mox1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
> Midnight in Paris, watching "arte", a franco-germanic cultural T.V.
> channel.
> The program in question is a live broadcast celerbrating the 40th
> anniversary of the Montreaux Jazz Festival.
<...>
> Marcus Miller closed the show with alive set accompanied by keyboards,
> drums & a very unusuel hornsection:
> alto sax
> muted trompet
> chromatic harmonica
>
> The harmonicist was the Swiss born Gregoire Marais, a quick google sent
> me to a Jacky Terrasson album but nothing else.
> He blended well with the section, full tone in the lows, sweet in the
> highs.
> His soli were well constructed giving the audiance the impression of
> following a story.
> What I could see of his instrument was that it appeared to have wooden
> covers with some kind of wire coming out of the back between his 
fingers.
> Four questions:
> 1) Does anyone have any more informtion on thi player?
> 2) What model harp could he be playing?
> 3) Does anyone know of a "built in" mic system?
> 4) Are there any other horn sections around using the kind of line-up?

I believe he normally plays a Suzuki Chromatix SCX-48, and I've seen him 
use a handheld mic.  Not sure what he might have been playing, unless 
it's possibly something like the newer amplified chromatics by Richard 
Smith ... http://www.harmonix-harmonica.co.uk/  Or, perhaps he was just 
using a lavalier mic.

BTW... Marcus Miller, the bassist?  One of my all time favorites on that 
instrument! :)

Oh... read Slim Heilpern's just-posted message, Mox!  Actually, I think 
I'd prefer listening to Slim most times over Gregoire... despite Maret's 
excellence.  More my style, I suppose, for pure expressiveness on 
harmonica; and who, BTW, is on 'my' shortlist of players I'd love to see 
showcased at a SPAH convention!!

Thanks, Slim, and I'm really enjoying the little listening excursions to 
your website from time to time.  Really lovely work on the chrom, AND 
guitar!  ;)

Cheers!
Bobbie