The protagonists of Monkomarok play music that has a lot of references. while expressing very much its own style.

At the meeting point of free jazz and "world music" (perfumes of the Orient, African roots and memories from Central Europe), this band from Toulouse enchants through the voice of their pretty singer, surprises by its musicality and often succeeds perfectly when it leaves place for improvisation.

The ensemble is mostly instrumental: percussions, bass, drums, sax, clarinet - but their instrumental skills never take away from the emotion. A lovely journey. An astonishing formation, that of Monkomarok, which appeared on the Toulouse circuit around two years ago.

Creating music situated at the crossroads : jazz for their preference for improvisation, rock for energy, this band, originally a trio formed by Sylvain Fournier, bass, Laurent Rochelle, saxophone and clarinet and Loïc Schild at drums and percussions is very much influenced by the current of free jazz, and by popular music.

End of 98, they released a superb first album "Le Rêve de Monk" (Monk's Dream) and later integrated a voice : Alima Hamel. In October 2000, their second album, "Din Din Dan" was released.

This album has been signed to German label Enja (one of the big European jazz independents) and is distributed by Harmonia Mundi in France.

Metisse Music

Au Plafond / 2002

Din Din Dan / 2000

MonkoMarok defies all categorization. The joyous gang of excellent young musicians from Toulouse, including a splendid young lady on vocals, carries the feeling of Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula with just as much gusto as jazz inflections and rock, not to forget an electronic touch.

With all this inspiration, there can be no doubt where this eclectic foursome are based; this "métissage", this mix of flavours is a delicious French dish, and a sunny southern dish indeed.

Big travellers they are, touring all the time, from the French provinces to Germany, Kuwait and the Far East. This, their second album, is again on release through Enja Record, a classy German Jazz label with wide open views of music and an impressive artist roster, excellent company for our four French musicos, each of them being an outstanding instrumentalist.

You can see them on stage again shortly, touring France and Germany to start with.

Metisse Music