Pinilla Munoz Antoine

Biography

" We are in 1961. I am 15 years old and already completely enthusiastic about Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Oscar Peterson... I am listening to a record that I have just bought. I immediately feel my self filled with a huge emotion. That rough and husky voice, combined with heart-rending cries, from thrilling or tragic, to tender or raging, is the voice of Ray Charles singing "A fool for you"."

A few years before, he's then only 7, A. Pinilla-Munoz goes with his parents to the cinema. There, looking at the newsreel of the fifties, he sees the arrival of a famous black Americain artist in Paris. The boy hears him singing and playing a few bars on his trumpet - a great discovery for him! he's wholly amazed by that man and his music; Louis Armstrong becomes his first idol.

The boy is quickly aware that this music, called JAZZ, moves him, astonishes him, and gives him a lot of happiness.
He eagerly finds out all the great musicians who mark out the history of that uncommon music. He especially takes his time to listen to the themes performed by pianist. Untiringly he lends an ear to Fats Waller, Errol Garner, Art Tatum and...Oscar Peterson with his inimitable playing. At this time, he definitely becomes addict of Peterson's style : subtle, brilliant and bluesy.
He also has a real pasion for the voices of Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and other great ladies of the black American music. Since his teenage years until now he has listened to all of them.
Amongst the singers, he likes Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Al Jarreau, and many others of course and... the immensely great Ray Charles.

A few decades have passed since. the famous jazz pianist Philippe Duchemin, the long-dated friend with whom A. Pinilla-Munoz played the piano, suggest him to make a record...

In october 2000, the‘’A.Pinilla-Munoz trio’’ creates the record ‘’The Ray, Tribute to Ray Charles’’ . Eric Berquet and the exceptionnnally gifted Jean-Marc Fouché share the double bass for 5 themes each. The young and talented Matthieu Garreau brillantly plays the drums.

For the next few years, the trio has been performing in the whole of france and Spain in Jazz Clubs, hotels or concerts hall in Annecy, Le Mans, Bourg-en-Bresse, Toulouse, Nime, Montpellier, Rodez, Bourges, Llanca (Spain).
The concerts "Jazz around Ray Charles" from the Trio ae well appreciated by all.

Kjersti