Laurent Maur interview

Laurent Maur joins me on episode 75. Laurent is a jazz chromatic player from France. He first started learning diatonic before moving on to the chromatic to pursue his love of jazz music. He had some lessons with the French classical chromatic player, Claude Garden, helping to advance his technique. Laurent played with a few different bands, touring and recording albums with them before releasing two albums under his own name, and two with the Youpi Quartet. Laurent teamed up with the flute p...
Laurent Maur joins me on episode 75.
Laurent is a jazz chromatic player from France. He first started learning diatonic before moving on to the chromatic to pursue his love of jazz music. He had some lessons with the French classical chromatic player, Claude Garden, helping to advance his technique. Laurent played with a few different bands, touring and recording albums with them before releasing two albums under his own name, and two with the Youpi Quartet. Laurent teamed up with the flute player from this quartet to release his most recent album, of duets with flute.
Laurent makes use of different harmonicas beyond the chromatic and occasional diatonic, playing the recently released Suzuki bass and chord harmonicas as well as being one of the leading exponents of the DM48 midi chromatic harmonica.
Links:
Laurent’s website:
https://www.laurentmaur.com/
JJ Milteau Method for Diatonic and Chromatic Harmonica tuition book:
https://www.melbay.com/Products/20588BCD/method-for-diatonic-and-chromatic-harmonica.aspx
Suzuki SSCH-56: Compact Chord & S-48B (Bass):
http://www.suzukimusic.co.uk/products/harmonica/orchestral.html
Children’s show: The true Story of the Tchepperpou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghtZ7VOmcus
Midi controller foot pedal:
https://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/softstep/
Videos:
La Cambiada with Orlando Pole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJEKPe64BH8&list=PL027E88A8BFFE8871
Duo with Emilie Calme in Sunside Jazz Club, Paris:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t63za4K1Kw
Tuition video on using the Dorian scale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A4_M-LNy30
Roland Mobile Cube amp:
https://www.roland.com/au/products/mobile_cube/
Children’s show teaser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghtZ7VOmcus
Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com
Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB
Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ
Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/
01:33 - Laurent is a jazz chromatic player, originally from Paris, now living in Burgundy, France
02:37 - First influence of jazz harmonica was through the Toots Thielemans and Bill Evans album, Affinity, given to him by a maths teacher
03:32 - Bought first harmonica age 17 with Sugar Blue the first blues player he loved
04:22 - JJ Milteau Diatonic and Chromatic Method book was first instructional material he used to learn diatonic
05:13 - Started listening to the other diatonic players: with Sugar Blue and Big Walter his favourites
05:28 - Blues scene in France was mainly in Paris, but he met two harmonica players in his town, including Dutch chromatic player Tim Welvaars
06:40 - Spent a lot of time transcribing and essentials needed to learn jazz
07:44 - Decision to switch over to focus on chromatic harmonica age 24
08:24 - Blues is more accessible than jazz due to simpler chord structures
09:11 - Busked and was in several bands playing diatonic from age 19 to 24
09:26 - Switched to playing chromatic to learn jazz music
10:16 - Learning curve the chromatic from being a diatonic player
10:42 - Went to a jazz school in Paris
11:36 - Practised a lot to make rapid progress and was living on the breadline as a musician
13:15 - Moved from Paris to Bordeaux where he was able to perform more with jazz chromatic well received by jazz musicians
14:58 - Playing in different types of bands in Bordeaux helped develop skills
15:32 - Went to Trossingen in 2000 or 2001, winning the solo harmonica and jazz harmonica competitions
15:58 - First recording was with the Francis Lockwood trio, harmonica with strings, after playing in a big band
17:10 - Sent the album to Toots and JJ MIlteau and received encouraging responses back from both
18:03 - After attending another jazz school, started playing with Orlando Pole in an Afro Venezuelan Latin jazz quintet
20:16 - Playing with other bands, including Clem Cardenas and Yves Carbonne
21:47 - Plays some Gypsy Jazz with Mayo Hubert and approach to playing this on chromatic
22:59 - French player Vincent Bucher plays a lot with African musicians
23:28 - Spent some years in China and Korea after financial crash of 2008
25:07 - Popularity of people playing harmonica in China
25:46 - Spent time in Korea and problematic pollution in Beijing
26:23 - Played with a great Italian pianist in China and corporate gigs
27:46 - Laurent played at a Jazz club in Beijing where he found his confidence and voice to play the music he wanted to play
29:03 - Returned from the east and started releasing albums under his own name and with Youpi quartet
29:45 - The Last Dance album, recorded live
30:23 - Second live album: Chef Larry, with both albums including some French songs
31:40 - How Laurent developed his fast playing
32:17 - Had lessons with classical chromatic player Claude Garden, teaching him to use the pure sound with air, without lips or throat use
33:35 - Recoded two albums with the Youpi Quartet
35:08 - Great interaction between chromatic and flute
35:19 - Latest album from Laurent is a duo with Emilie on flute: Fantaisie Improbable Pour Flutes et Harmonicas
35:38 - Uses DM48 on this album
36:12 - Also plays the Suzuki SSCH-56 (Compact Chord) and S-48B bass harmonica on the album
37:48 - Plays harmonetta now
38:01 - More on the DM48, with Laurent playing synthesised sounds, rather than instrument emulators
41:07 - Has released some tuition videos on YouTube
41:34 - Next album to be released recorded in Greece
43:42 - 10 minute question
45:45 - How did he split his practise regime when practising 8 hours per day
46:39 - Switching from 12 hole to 16 hole chromatic, which was a challenge
47:44 - Advantages of 16 hole over 12 include playing octaves, making it sound like another instrument
49:30 - Chromatic of choice is Suzuki Fabulous, also the Sirius
49:54 - Still plays a little diatonic
50:09 - Has a show for children where he plays some diatonic
51:02 - Only plays C chromatics
51:22 - Embouchre: mostly puckers but working on tongue switching
52:10 - Amp used is a Roland Mobile Cube
54:03 - Set-up when performing with DM48
54:29 - Mic of choice is wireless Shure
54:59 - Effects and Ableton Live
55:26 - Future plans
56:21 - Wants to explore DM48 using a foot pedal
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