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Bob BONASTRE

About Me

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Born in Senegal (Africa) in a half Spanish and French family, Bob Bonastre felt in love with guitar at fourteen. Presented as "one of the next best guitar players"by the French jazz press a few years ago, he has decided after many years of playing electric music with jazzmen in duo and trio, to follow another road, closer to his heart. If jazz, rock and contemporary music belong to his culture, his work on the nylon strings guitar has opened to him a new direction, in which the sound is as important as the note. Great guitarists as Claus Boesser-Ferrari, Tim Sparks or N'Guyen Lê have recognized this quality of sound. Today, he plays his own compositions in solo concerts, introducing a very large language, made of complex harmonies, different techniques like playing with Chinese sticks or pieces of paper and an astonishing three octavias voice. His music speaks about travels, inner travels or around the world, taking the audience from a continent to another one, with always the link of emotion and spirituality. A music where the value of the notes is worth as much as the "virtue" of silence.End of the Seventies, plays with the jazz-rock band SAGA , in the south west of France ,where he lives.Beginning of the Eighties, arrival in Paris ,works as guitarist ,composer and orchestrator for many singers.Many experiences with jazz trios and quartets.First electric solo concerts( tours in France and Africa).Duo with saxophonist Philippe Botta ,experiences in trio. Composes music for the Rick Odums Dance Company.Solo concerts ,composes two creations for the Avignon Theatre Festival.Rewarded at the International Festival of Electric and Contemporary guitar of Lausanne (Swiss).Works on the extra- European musics, plays at the International Festival of Sacred Music in Fez ( Morocco).Rewarded at the International Competition of Acoustic Guitar of Osnabruck (Germany), and records there his first solo album "Existence"(on Acoustic Music Records) and the second one ,"Nature Art"(on Wonderland Records), both produced by Peter Finger. Works on many theatre plays (Radio France..) and a command for quartet .Concerts in Paris, festivals in France, tour in Germany, representing France with guitarists Pierre Bensusan, Jean-Felix Lalanne, Yan Vagh, and Soig Siberil.Trio and solo concerts in France,tour in Hungary (International Acoustic Guitar Festival) with Tim Sparks ( U.S.A ), Claus Boesser-Ferrari (Germany) and Sandor Szabo (Hungary),India ( with Konarak Reddy),California.(hosted by Alex De Grassi),Germany,Croatia...Concerts in trio with J-Philippe Rykiel (Youssou N' Dour and Salif Keita's keyboardist) and Ravi Magnifique (percussionist with Archie Shepp, Chico Freeman). Director of the International Guitar Festival "Les Automnales de Ballainvilliers",close to Paris,which takes place every last week-end of september(see website). Booking agent for Germany:Thomas Schulz,www.guitargig.eu

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 27/02/2008
Band Website: www.bob-bonastre.com
Band Members: "In my opinion,art does not exist in nature.It's our vision which first creates the translation of reality that we call art.This probably comes from our will to understand the incredible energy of the universe,which,I believe,also had to be created... By lending form to a part of this energy,we become shamans,or artists..."I would add that,for me,as artists ,we don't create.We receive inspiration(information...)from the Universe,and we give it back,like an antenna.Our duty is to prepare ourselves to such a connection,physically,mentally and spiritually.And it takes a whole life...That's why music teaches us how to be in the present,because there is no future,only a perpetual change of the present...
Influences: "I would rate Bob as highly as those by the acclaimed masters of the nylon string guitar such as Ralph Towner or Egberto Gismonti.He is to be congratulated for his originality and for the ever-present search for new musical frontiers expressed in his music."Christian Escoudé,jazz guitarist ( with Charlie Haden ,John Mc Laughlin...)I'm proud of such a comment,but I know I'm far from these masters.I just sincerely thank them for being on my way,as lights on the path...
Sounds Like: All the Music from the heart,with a taste of body and soul.
Record Label: Acoustic Music Records / Wonderland Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Bois d'ébène( before we die)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_142gM0tSd0 short piece,part of a composition for quartet
Posted by on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:22:00 GMT

Palhaço

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aohlIo4PpNs the magnificent song by Egberto Gismonti,arranged for solo guitar by Bob Bonastre
Posted by on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:11:00 GMT