Arthur H
Encyclopedia
Arthur Higelin better known under his stage name Arthur H aʁtyʁ ɑːʃ, is a pianist
, songwriter
and singer. He is best known in France for his live performances - four of his albums were recorded live - and remains relatively little-known in the English-speaking world.
and Nicole Courtois. After traveling in the West Indies, he studied music in Boston
before returning to Paris and developing his eclectic but highly personal musical style, drawing on such influences as Thelonious Monk
, Serge Gainsbourg
, the Sex Pistols, jazz
, blues
, Middle Eastern music
and the tango. He first performed in 1988 in clubs in Paris, as leader of a trio with bassist Brad Scott and drummer Paul Jothy.
His first album, Arthur H (1990), combined rhythmic experimentation and bal-musette
elements with a vocal style which has been compared to Tom Waits
. He toured widely around this time, particularly in France and Japan, adding a fourth band member, Jon Handelsman (saxophone), and produced a second album, Bachibouzouk (1992). In early 1993, he did a six week season at the Magic Mirrors, an antique circus big top, which was later put on as a touring show and recorded on the live album En chair et en os.
In 1996, he released the album Trouble Fête, following which he performed a season at the Gymnase in Paris. The live album Fête Trouble (1997) included some tracks from these shows as well as others recorded on tour in Africa. He toured the USA and Canada in 1998.
In 2000, he wrote the soundtrack for Michel Couvelard’s film, Inséparables, before touring in Asia and Canada. His next album, Pour Madame X (2000), featured the touring band of Nicolas Repac (guitar), Brad Scott (double bass) and Laurent Robin (drums).
In 2001, he took part in the show "Cabaret Imprudent" with "Le Cirque Cahin-caha". The following year, he released the album Piano Solo, recorded live in a studio and mainly consisting of solo interpretations of earlier songs. This was followed by a band album, Négresse Blanche (2003), comprising tracks dedicated to the memory of famous women such as "Marilyn Kaddish" and "Bo Derek".
In 2005, a planned tour of China was cancelled, and he returned to the studio to record the album Adieu Tristesse. This was the most commercially successful of his career, and included several duets, one with his father and another, "Est-ce que tu aimes?", with the musician -M-
(Matthieu Chedid). He subsequently toured widely in France, Lebanon and Canada.
In 2006 he published a book, Onirique attaque, containing lyrics, reflections and photographs. He also composed the soundtrack for the film "L’homme qui rêvait d'un enfant", directed by Delphine Gleize. The soundtrack was performed by an ensemble of children from a local music school.
The album Show Time, issued late in 2006, was recorded live on tour and includes duets with Matthieu Chedid
, Pauline Croze
, Lhasa de Sela
and Jacques Higelin
. In June 2008 he released the album L'Homme du Monde, which won the award of Pop/Rock Album of the Year 2009 at La Victoire de la Musique.
His 2010 double CD, Mystic Rumba, contained 24 songs from his repertoire performed solo at the piano, the result in part of a snow storm which cut the power in his studio during recording. The next album, Baba Love, was released in October 2011.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and singer. He is best known in France for his live performances - four of his albums were recorded live - and remains relatively little-known in the English-speaking world.
Career
He is the son of the French singer Jacques HigelinJacques Higelin
Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin is a French pop singer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s. Early in his career, many of Higelin's songs were effectively blacklisted from French radio because of his controversial left wing political beliefs, and his association with socialist groups...
and Nicole Courtois. After traveling in the West Indies, he studied music in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
before returning to Paris and developing his eclectic but highly personal musical style, drawing on such influences as Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
, the Sex Pistols, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, Middle Eastern music
Middle Eastern music
The music of Western Asia and North Africa spans across a vast region, from Morocco to Afghanistan, and its influences can be felt even further afield. Middle Eastern music influenced the music of India, as well as Central Asia, Spain, Southern Italy, the Caucasus and the Balkans, as in chalga...
and the tango. He first performed in 1988 in clubs in Paris, as leader of a trio with bassist Brad Scott and drummer Paul Jothy.
His first album, Arthur H (1990), combined rhythmic experimentation and bal-musette
Bal-musette
Bal-musette is a style of French music and dance that first became popular in Paris in the 1880s.Auvergnats settled in large numbers in the 5th, 11th, and 12th districts of Paris during the 19th century, opening cafés and bars where patrons danced the bourrée to the accompaniment of musette de...
elements with a vocal style which has been compared to Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
. He toured widely around this time, particularly in France and Japan, adding a fourth band member, Jon Handelsman (saxophone), and produced a second album, Bachibouzouk (1992). In early 1993, he did a six week season at the Magic Mirrors, an antique circus big top, which was later put on as a touring show and recorded on the live album En chair et en os.
In 1996, he released the album Trouble Fête, following which he performed a season at the Gymnase in Paris. The live album Fête Trouble (1997) included some tracks from these shows as well as others recorded on tour in Africa. He toured the USA and Canada in 1998.
In 2000, he wrote the soundtrack for Michel Couvelard’s film, Inséparables, before touring in Asia and Canada. His next album, Pour Madame X (2000), featured the touring band of Nicolas Repac (guitar), Brad Scott (double bass) and Laurent Robin (drums).
In 2001, he took part in the show "Cabaret Imprudent" with "Le Cirque Cahin-caha". The following year, he released the album Piano Solo, recorded live in a studio and mainly consisting of solo interpretations of earlier songs. This was followed by a band album, Négresse Blanche (2003), comprising tracks dedicated to the memory of famous women such as "Marilyn Kaddish" and "Bo Derek".
In 2005, a planned tour of China was cancelled, and he returned to the studio to record the album Adieu Tristesse. This was the most commercially successful of his career, and included several duets, one with his father and another, "Est-ce que tu aimes?", with the musician -M-
Matthieu Chedid
Matthieu Chedid is a French rock singer-songwriter and guitar player.-Biography:...
(Matthieu Chedid). He subsequently toured widely in France, Lebanon and Canada.
In 2006 he published a book, Onirique attaque, containing lyrics, reflections and photographs. He also composed the soundtrack for the film "L’homme qui rêvait d'un enfant", directed by Delphine Gleize. The soundtrack was performed by an ensemble of children from a local music school.
The album Show Time, issued late in 2006, was recorded live on tour and includes duets with Matthieu Chedid
Matthieu Chedid
Matthieu Chedid is a French rock singer-songwriter and guitar player.-Biography:...
, Pauline Croze
Pauline Croze
Pauline Croze is a French pop/folk singer and musician.She started to sing and play the guitar when she was 14 and 6 years later she made her first demos with Quito of the group Señor Holmes. At this time she made her very first appearance on stage.In 2003, she collaborated with Anne Claverie and...
, Lhasa de Sela
Lhasa de Sela
Lhasa de Sela , also known by the mononym Lhasa, was an American-born singer-songwriter who was raised in Mexico and the United States, and divided her adult life between Canada and France...
and Jacques Higelin
Jacques Higelin
Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin is a French pop singer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s. Early in his career, many of Higelin's songs were effectively blacklisted from French radio because of his controversial left wing political beliefs, and his association with socialist groups...
. In June 2008 he released the album L'Homme du Monde, which won the award of Pop/Rock Album of the Year 2009 at La Victoire de la Musique.
His 2010 double CD, Mystic Rumba, contained 24 songs from his repertoire performed solo at the piano, the result in part of a snow storm which cut the power in his studio during recording. The next album, Baba Love, was released in October 2011.
Discography
- 1990 : Arthur H
- 1991 : Cool Jazz (remixes)
- 1992 : Bachibouzouk
- 1993 : En chair et en os (live)
- 1996 : Trouble-Fête
- 1997 : Fête Trouble (live)
- 1999 : Inséparables (soundtrack)
- 2000 : Pour Madame X
- 2002 : Piano Solo (live)
- 2003 : Négresse Blanche
- 2005 : Adieu Tristesse
- 2006 : Show Time (live)
- 2008 : L'Homme du Monde
- 2010 : Mystic Rumba
- 2011 : Baba Love
Awards
- 1993 : Victoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
(France) - Popular music - best male newcomer (révélation) - 2006 : Victoires de la Musique - Music video of the year for Est Ce Que Tu Aimes
- 2009 : Victoires de la Musique - Pop/rock album of the year for L'Homme du Monde