About
Manu Katché
Classically trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, the musician Manu Katché was originally destined for a noble career as a percussionist in a symphony orchestra. Probably this is one of the causes of the "Katché sound" which makes his stroke of the baton recognized among a thousand by informed music lovers. A stroke of the stick that will take him away from classical music to jazz and then to pop-rock. Very soon he was back on stage and in the studio, alongside the great Frenchmen: Goldman, Souchon, Chedid, Catherine Lara, Michel Jonasz, but he owes the explosion of his career to Peter Gabriel who asked him to play drums for the album "So".
Some musicians refuse to be put into a category, at the risk of disturbing the most timid. This is Manu's privilege, capable of mixing all influences and adapting to all styles. Manu's unique drum sound immediately got him spotted by pop-rock stars and opened the doors of studios and major international venues for him. He recorded for Joni Mitchell, Sting, Dire Straits, Tears for Fears, The Christians, Robbie Robertson, Joan Armatrading, Paul Young, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, Pino Danielle, Simple Minds, Joe Satriani, Richard Wright without sulking his French-speaking friends, as he met up with Véronique Sanson, Francis Cabrel, Laurent Voulzy, Stephan Eicher, Michel Petrucciani and many more.
In terms of official recognition, things are going well: first Victoire de la Musique for "Best arrangements" in 86, second Victoire in 87 as "Best studio musician"; crowned "Best coming up drummer of the year" the same year by "Modern Drummer", he won his third Victoire de la Musique in 1996 for the soundtrack of the film "Un Indien dans la ville". In 1996, the Drum Festival of Montreal awarded him an award, then in 2004 it was the turn of our Minister of Culture to inscribe him in the order of Chevalier des Arts et Lettres. Finally, his musical creation for the Musée Grévin and soon his wax effigy confirms the notoriety of the authentic character that is Manu Katché.
Hailed and rewarded both as an exceptional musician and a talented composer, he never gave up his first love: jazz. Witness the creation of his band "Manu Katché Tendances" in 2004, with which he toured internationally, and his appetite for the "Nordic jazz" of Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek with his album, "Neighbourhood" in 2005, released by Manfred Eicher's mythical record company: ECM Records. Still on the album side, the next one, "Playground", was released by ECM/Universal in 2007, "Third Round", was released in March 2010 (still on ECM/Universal). Manu's latest opus, simply titled "Manu Katché", will be released on October 29, 2012 (ECM/Universal). The group's line-up was renewed with each tour.
From 2007 to the end of 2010, Manu Katché hosted "One Shot Not" on Arte every Thursday around 11pm. At the end of March 2010, he presented a new show "Musicalities" on France Inter from 10pm to midnight. In 2012, Manu took over the drumsticks for the anniversary tour of "So" with Peter Gabriel. In 2013, he brought out "Roadbook", published by Cherche Midi, in which he recounts his international career. In 2014, Manu Katché releases "Live in concert" on the ACT label with Jim Watson, Tore Brunborg and Luca Aquino, after a marathon tour of more than 150 concerts around the world. A new album in quintet (with Ellen Andrea Wang on bass) "Unstatic" was released on March 11, 2016 by Anteprima Productions / Musicast. He gave his first concert at the Olympia in Paris as leader: Manu Katché & Friends on April 7, 2016 with a host of guests including Sting, Stephan Eicher, Richard Bona, Raul Midon, Noa.
In 2017/2018, he explored the formula of the quartet by recording "The Scope" with a long-time companion on bass: Jérôme Regard (who knows how to adapt himself to all contexts...): jazz, pop, rock... and who has played with Michel Legrand, Jan Garbarek, Louis Winsberg...), the guitarist Patrick Manouguian, who accompanies both big names in jazz (Dee Dee Bridgewater, Minino Garay, Didier Lockwood...) and French variety (Bernard Lavilliers, Florent Pagny...) and the album's producer and pianist Elvin Galland.
Manu has been a part of Beyond Music since 2019. For Vol.1, he was member of the studio band for the recordings of our first album at the famous Studios La Fabrique in the South of France. For Vol.2, we are very happy to benefit from his great expertise and artistry as Mentor, Producer and Arranger. Manu feels at home in different cultures and musical styles and embodies the vision of Beyond Music with his artistic work - cross-genre, cross-culture and always open to new ideas.