"CHIC HOT" are a 1996 Jazz group.
CHIC HOT : The group were first seen in 1996 in the Parisian clubs of the Rue des Lombards with Hervé Gourdikian on saxophone, Roger "Kemp" Biwandu on drums, Etienne Mbappé on bass and Mario Canonge on piano - the last two were members of the group Ultramarine.
In Africa, the "chicotte" was a lash or whip used in the colonies - especially the former Belgian Congo - to punish the 'natives'. This infamous instrument was also a symbol for the revolt of the oppressed against their oppressors. Like their elegant / red-hot / dynamic / overwhelming music, the group have taken over the symbolic words Chicotte / Chic / Hot...
On their first album, meaningfully entitled SATYAGRAHA (disobeying and coming to terms with punishment), CHIC HOT offer 10 tracks of amazing energy and creativity, showing a boundless joy in their music.
CHIC HOT
album SATYAGRAHA - CD Lusafrica 262822
CHIC HOT : The musicians
Etienne Mbappé was born in Douala, Cameroun. At first, he taught himself guitar, but when he arrived in France in 1978, he enrolled at the Chevilly-Larue conservatoire to study classical guitar, then classical double-bass in 1981/83. In 1985, he joined the Grand Orchestre de Rido Bayonne and played with them until 1987, and met Mario Canonge, then a pianist with Ultramarine who had joined the group in 1986 and played with them until 1989. In 1987, Etienne began to play bass for the O.N.J. (Orchestre National de Jazz), led by Antoine Hervé whom he followed on many tours of Europe, Africa and the United States. He also played on a number of tours with Nicole Croisille. In 1990-92, Etienne joined Salif Keita's group as bassist and musical director. He performed with Salif in many concerts all over the world. From 1990 to 1995, he toured in France and abroad with Jacques Higelin (60 concerts), Liane Foly (90 concerts) and Catherine Lara. In 1996, when he founded the Chic Hot quartet with Mario Canonge, he met Michel Jonasz and played bass for him both in the studio and live (concerts at the Casino de Paris in 1997, in Canada and in France). In 1999, Etienne gave many concerts with Jean-Luc Ponty (violin) and Luis Winsberg (guitar), and with the Chic Hot quartet.
Mario Canonge began his career late, at the age of 15, playing the organ in the church of Sainte-Thérèse in Martinique (F.W.I.). Two years later, he was touring the islands with the Chorale des Iles du Vent. Acclaimed as one of the best pianists on the French scene, at 37, Mario Canonge already has quite a string of accomplishments to his name. At the beginning of the eighties, he was part of La Manigua, an experimental exploration of the territory between jazz and salsa, then he co-founded Ultramarine in 1983 and, in the same year, received first prize for piano at the La Défense Festival in Paris. There followed performances on stage and studio work with Henri Guedon, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nicole Croisille, Jean-Michel Cabrimol & La Maafia, Le Grand Méchant Zouk and Tanya Saint-Val... not to mention Sakyo, a group formed with Michel Alibo, the Sixun bassist. In 1992, Mario joined the group Malavoi on the "Matebis" tour and also became band leader and record arranger for the Martinique crooner Ralph Thamar. At the same time, he began a solo career accompanied by the group Kann', releasing 4 albums and making his mark as a great tunesmith too. He draws his inspiration from the traditional music of Martinique (biguines, mazurka), Caribbean beats (compas, calypso, salsa) and modern jazz (his master is Herbie Hancock). His love of jazz led him to join the bassist Etienne Mbappé in forming the Chic Hot quartet.
Hervé Gourdikian graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Lyon (France) in 1985, then travelled to the United States for two years to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with Gary Burton, Bill Evans, George Garzone and others. On his return, he worked and recorded with Bill Dobins, Mario Stanchey and Daniel Humair, and joined the group Tryphon, recording two albums with them. Meanwhile, he continued his work with Liane Foly: he has played with her for 12 years and also composes for her today. He has also recorded with Michel Petrucciani, Mino Cinelu and others. The group Chic Hot is a turning point in his career and he fully identifies with the music played by the quartet.
Roger Biwandu is a self-taught drummer. Originally from the Congo, his family settled in Bordeaux and it was there that he began to play the drums for the best groups in Southwest France from the age of fifteen. He very quickly acquired a reputation, making a name for himself accompanying the pianist Birelli Lagrène, the saxophonist John Stubblefield and another pianist, James Williams. At the age of 25, he has played with many local pop stars: Michel Jonasz, Jacques Higelin, Carole Fredericks, etc. He is also the drummer of the Bordeaux based band Tribal Jam. Although much of his time is taken up with these stars, he still finds opportunities to play on the jazz scene: he often accompanies Birelli Lagrène, as well as the group Sixun, and the steel band star Andy Narel. Since 1996, he has been a full member of Chic Hot.
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