benjamin moussay (keyboards)
claudia solal (voice)
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« There is in the work of Claudia Solal and Benjamin Moussay, a reminiscence of the one undertaken in the early 60's by Ran Blake / Jeanne Lee with their album "The Newest Sound around". A similar state of mind that seeks the expressive force of restraint, of suggestion, the desire to go and see where it is impossible to go. Explore the most hidden, inaccessible and attractive territories of our sensibility».
Fabien Barontini.
Since their very first collaboration, almost 20 years have passed. Claudia Solal and Benjamin Moussay have been climbing the steep but liberating paths of the piano-voice duet for 15 years now, both in France and abroad. After their first CD, Porridge days (2005 Le Chant du Monde/Harmonia Mundi), followed by Room Service with the Quartet Spoonbox (2010 (Abalone Productions), appears a new and completely original release, Butter in my brain : unique, whimsical and forceful songs, between dream ans reality, that explore the vigorous imagination of this oversize duo.
Although Claudia Solal and Benjamin Moussay may be deeply attached to jazz, their true playground would more likely be somewhere between improvisation, pop music, electronic music, contemporary music, minimalism, sound poetry ... Nothing to do with fusion, but more of an adventurous desire to communicate with a specific sound, by turning out this collection of rustling, vivid, crazy songs, sometimes insistent or haunting, dark or radiant, urban, rainy inspired by true stories or dreams, talking about desire, fear, hope… Multipolar creative songs, « art-house » songs ! People loosing landmarks, prey to immense joys or to devastating depression, on the verge of a split personality, yet always deeply in love with life, nature, human beings… boundless, free music…
Butter in my brain is nominated at the Victoires du Jazz 2018 (ffff Télérama, 4 stars Jazz Magazine). In Le Monde, Francis Marmande says about the album : « Not a style, or a system or even a repertoire, but a completely singular approach to music, both unique and perfectly identifiable. The best news of the year, a vital spark and promise for the future, jazz on a background of joyful wisdom. A masterpiece ».
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Victoires du jazz 2018 - nominated
Butter in my brain, disconcerting songs, multipolar songs, off shore songs, art-house songs
Butter in my brain
« Not a style, or a system or even a repertoire, but a completely singular approach to music, both unique and perfectly identifiable. The best news of the year, a vital spark and promise for the future, jazz on a background of joyful wisdom. A masterpiece ». Francis Marmande, Le Monde
« Enchanted. Resolutely original, Claudia Solal gives away with pianist Benjamin Moussay a set of oniric pop songs. Solal’s voice is made for poetry. She could be James Joyce’s daughter ». Michel Contat, Télérama
« Excellency is the least you can say - excellency, but naked and raw, with a cutting edge, like truth ». Louis-Julien Nicolaou, Les Inrocks
« Sensual music, masterly, accomplished, and free. These days are in need of such challenging beauty ». Bruno Pfeiffer, Libération
« Clear forms resulting from an inspiration drawn from the diversity that connects Steve Reich to Debussy, Aphex Twin to pop music, minimalism to the climates of kinetic music. The shimmering of a jazz that breaks down barriers and dazzles the listener ». Guy Darol, Jazz magazine
« Magnetic, powerful, quivering and disturbing ». Jacques Prouvost, Jazzques
« Butter in my brain is a magnificent and bewitching musical object ». Denis Desassis, Musiques Buissonières
« An adventurous music, as surprising in substance as in form ». Jérôme Gillet, Froggy’s delight
« A totally unclassifiable duo. A complete success ». Xavier Prévost, Les Dernières nouvelles du Jazz
« A mesmerizing tone, by two young masters of their art. Splendid! ». Action Jazz
Booking Butter in my brain, in China