URBAN SAX URBAN SAX
INTRODUCTION
TO THE BAND
URBAN SAX is the
fruit of a long acoustic and architectural research that began in
1973 when Gilbert Artman, the band's Creator, Composer and
Choreographer made the town of Menton, in the South of France,
reverberate with strategically-placed16 saxophonists. Over the
years, from projects to projects, the band increased to its
present form : 30 saxophonists, 10 chorist singers, 3
percussionnists, 1 bass player and 2 dancers.
URBAN SAX can be augmented by local participants from Dance and
Music schools. This has no limit ; the band has sometimes
numbered 200 ! Whenever it's possible, Gilbert Artman likes when
the band is joined by some musicians issued from different
musical horizons. To give you a few examples, the band was joined
in Jakarta by Balinese dancers and gamelan musicians, in
Vancouver by some Native American drummers and Scottish pipers,
in Turkey by some sufis, in Tokyo by some traditional Japanese
drummers .....
URBAN SAX has been invited all over the world to perform in great
events such as the Inauguration of plazas, theatres, monuments
....., opened and closed countless festivals, played in
prestigious places (castles, caves, churches), "redefined"
truly urban environments like subways, factories, electric power
stations and has been asked to participate in numerous
Conventions.
PREPARATION
OF A CONCERT
Each site is
carefully checked out beforehand so that its full spatial and
acoustic potential can be realized. That's what Gilbert Artman
calls "Acoustical Town Planning" ; to take over a space
or environment and fill it with sound and movement. This concept
he created is unique.
It's during Gilbert Artman's visit that are decided the human and
technical needs, the necessary authorizations and the running of
the show.
Each performance of URBAN SAX is different ; Gilbert Artman works
each time on a choreography specially adapted to the event and
its location.
ABOUT THE
BAND'S PERFORMANCES
Each performance is
spectacular because the band litteraly invades the location. Some
saxophonists are climbing down buildings, others are on the
rooftops, behind the windows, some are arriving in helicopters
....
Everyone wears earphones and thanks to the transmitter, Gilbert
Artman can be very precise despite his being, say, 200 meters
from the musicians, who in turn might be 100 meters from each
other. The spectator is always surrounded by images and sound and
very often, there are some dancers and musicians suspended above
him. URBAN SAX recreates the urban landscape and forever changes
the relation between the people and their town.
"Gilbert Artman
understands showmanship." (VANCOUVER SUN)
"A hall--an audience. A stage-a groupe of musicians. The
traditional environment for musical performance. But think for a
moment of space and mobility. Think of sound from all sides, from
above, from below, constantly on the move. Now erase all
preconceptions of traditional instrumentation. Let them all play
saxophones .... Imagine a music that defies categorization. And
finally, go a little further - make the leap to a point where the
distinctions between music, theatre and other art forms become
blurred. Still with me ? If so, then welcome to the wonderful
world of Urban Sax." (JAZZ FORUM)
"Whenever the 50-member,
avant-garde musical group Urban Sax takes to the stage, it's a
happening. Other bands simply walk on stage. Like normal concert
performers. But Urban Sax's entrance is always litteraly off the
wall." (THE GLOBE AND MAIL)
"This was not so much a concert as a hi-tech multimedia
happening, planned with military precision by a commando troop of
sixty Frenchmen who dressed like alien spacemen and call
themselves Urban Sax. As the sun went down, they assaulted gloomy
County Hall as if it had been built as their stage." (THE
GUARDIAN)
Fog organ
Contact
us : 33 1 43 60 93 56 or 
info@musicprom.com