Benoit Birlouet

After years of working as a sideman across funk, hip-hop, and world music, I formed this ensemble to bridge classic jazz with African, Middle Eastern, and classical influences. Sonically, the music sits at the intersection of Tigran Hamasyan’s rhythmic intensity and Avishai Cohen’s global melodic phrasing, rooted in a heavy pocket groove.For this project, I picked some of the Scandinavia's renowned musicians and composers : Simon Thorsen (Sax), Niels Wilhelm Knudsen / Niels Ryde (Bass), Fredrik Rejle (Guitar), and Benjamin Heldorf (Drums). We spent two years road-testing these compositions live on stage before entering the studio.