Towards the end of 2007, Claudio Pallaro and Gary Brunton launched an invitation to thirty or so musicians from the Paris area to meet up weekly in order to exchange musical ideas and to create new music collectively.
The jazz workshop quickly became known as The P B (the band leader’s initials) and collaborated in performances with other forms of artistic expression: dansers, painters, actors and slam poets.
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Co-founder of The PB, an Italian born in Geneva, Claudio started out playing saxophone in concert bands before turning to jazz. He then went on to the U.S. to work on composition, arrangement and saxophone in the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Here he studied with George Garzone, Ed Tomassi and Jerry Bergonzi. Back in Europe he worked extensively in a variety of formats and styles ranging from trio to Salsa Big Band. He composed and arranged for the major French Acid Jazz outfit «Dis bonjour à la dame» Keen to enjoy more space as a soloist, he formed his own trio in 2010 recording a first album «Desert Dance» in 2013.
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Co-founder of The PB, Gary was born in Burnley, England and came to settle in France in 1989. He had classical training with Thierry Barbé and studied with some of the top double bassists such as Ray Brown, Dave Holland and Pierre Michelot. He was quickly active on the European jazz scene becoming a much sought after sideman. He has worked with many groups including pianists Edouard Ferlet, Bojan Zulfikarpasic and American singer Sheila Jordan.
Also active as a composer and arranger, he formed his own band «Brunt’Off» in 2002 recording «French Cricket», an album warmly received by the specialist press and musicians alike.
Certified Soundpainter since 2013.
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A Parisian with Gipsy roots, Sandrine began singing without any formal tuition and discovered operatic singing at the age of 14, going on to perform the roles of Pamina in Mozart’s Magic Flute and Azzucena in Verdi’s Il trovatore. She then moved towards Pop and Soul music, discovering jazz whilst in the studio with Arthur Simms. Studying Harmony with Jean Claude Fohrenbach and Scat singing with Laurence Saltiel at the CIM school in Paris, she worked in Big band at this time under the direction of Yvan Julien and Tito Puente.
In 1996 she recorded her first album in quartet « The jungle scat » performing notably at the Marciac jazz festival.
Sandrine is also a lyricist and songwriter, putting fitting words to tunes written by her musical partners such as Cyril Achard with drummer Antoine Banville, and Frederic Loiseau for the Pee Bee. She also sang on Gary Brunton’s recording project « Brunt’Off – French Cricket »
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Beginning trumpet at the age of 12, a year later Gilles joined a small dixieland outfit led by Roger Guerin. After classical studies in the Versailles conservatory where he graduated with the top award « Médaille d’Or » he then incorporated Guerin’s professional big band. At this time he was active in many different projects including Jean Jacques Ruhlmann’s Big band, opening a festival for John Scofield and Pat Metheny and Laurent Guanzini’s salsa project « Bakano ».
A versatile trumpeter, Gilles is comfortable in a wide range of styles and plays in outfits from small combo to big band. He is also a renowned composer, teacher and certified Soundpainter working regularly with Walter Thompson.
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Hailing from Alsace, he started music at an early age, playing initially in concert band's and classical orchestras. He then settled in Paris to study both music and graphic art. He became interested in jazz and modern music, taking lessons with Sylvain Gontard. He directed a schools marching band project which became known as "Hauts Debit" performing concerts at Theatre de la Ville and for France Culture radio station. He then played in several large jazz ensembles, including the Pee Bee. He is very active playing in different projects ranging from reggae band Sundyata to jazz, funk, electro and music for shows. He shares his trumpet activities with work as a designer and is consultant for saxophone manufacturers Selmer in Paris.
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Paris born. After a short formal education in the conservatory, Didier discovered Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. Mainly self taught, his sound is heavily steeped in the blues and the bop tradition. The originality of his musical language coupled with his sense of freedom allow him to perform in a wide variety of musical settings.
He has performed with the Banlieue Bleues Marching Band , Urban Sax, in trio with Norbert Lucarain and Hubert Dupont as well as the group Altissimo with Christophe Marguet and Phillipe Sellam. As a member of J.C. Oleksiak’s band he has performed alongside Alain Jean-Marie, Eric Barret and François Theberge. He can be heard on several recordings including « Point de vue » with Sergio Gruz.
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A unique and original saxophonist, hailing from La Rochelle, Eric started playing jazz at the age of 35 in 2000, initially completely self taught. He began to study in the Paris CIM school, as well as EDIM and Noisiel conservatory. In 2002 he won the « Esprit Jazz » competition with the group S-Mos.
You can hear his adventurous and visionary baritone sax playing in several groups including François Jeanneau’s Spoumj, Alain Vankenhove’s ORA, The African Celtic band, Ping Machine. He is also an experienced Soundpainter working regularly with Walter Thompson since 2003.
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Originating from the Tours region, Frederic moved to the USA in order to study at the GIT in Los Angeles with the likes of Joe Pass and Joe Diorio. Back in France he pursued his training with Dave Liebman and John Abercrombie. His sensitive and graceful guitar style find their place joyfully in many different musical settings : alongside Daniel Yvinec, Jimmy Wyble or Nelson Veras.
In 2007 he recorded « Red Shoes » with pianist Carlton Schroeder, his first album, acknowledged by the press and nominated for the Django d’Or prize.
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Born in Nantes, Vincent began playing the trombone at the age of 8 and completed formal classical training in the conservatories of Nantes and Boulogne Billancourt. He then moved to The Netherlands, studying jazz at the Hague conservatory for 8 years. At this time he performed with Jim McNeely, Bobby Shew, Bob Florence, Graham Collier and Maria Schneider. Now based in Paris he plays also with the Red Star Orchestra, Olivia Ruiz. He is active in differents groups including Latin Jazz septet Vibones and Alban Darche’s Gros Cube.
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An Italian national and rarely separated from his trombone, Daniel obtained top honours from the Milan conservatory and subsequently moved to France, graduating from St Maur conservatory with the top award « Médaille d’Or »
His fine classical training has led to performances in prestigious concert halls such as Salle Pleyel, Salle Gaveau, with the International Philharmonic Orchestra and Massy Opera Orchestra.
Fine improvisations and a rich sound combine to make him a much sought after trombone player in the jazz field with Jean-Loup Lognon and Eddie Louis as well as on the Latin Jazz scene with Raul Paz and Juan Carlos Casseres.
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A Parisian with musical roots in Africa, David had formal training as a classical percussionist before specializing in jazz vibraphone. He moved to USA to study with vibraphone great Gary Burton at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Back in France he played and recorded with Daniel Humair, Aldo Romano, Emmanuel Bex and Mark Turner on tour in France.
He formed «Another Trio» with strong African undertones, recording an album in 2000. In 1997 he recorded his first album as leader «Attraper le temps». He is also leader of Trio + 2 whose live album was released in 2012.
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Il commence la batterie à l’âge de 9 ans puis intègre le conservatoire de Strasbourg.
Du jazz au rock en passant par le classique, ce touche à tout participe également à des créations de musique contemporaine, avant de s’installer à Paris en 1994 et d’intégrer le C.N.S.M. Il se forme auprès de Daniel Humair, François Jeanneau, Hervé Sellin ou encore Jean-François Jenny-Clarck.
Il quitte le CNSM avec un premier prix de Jazz en 1997, obtient un premier prix de soliste au concours d’Avignon ainsi qu’au concours de la Défense avec le groupe Kassalit.
Il est membre du David Patrois trio+2 et on a également pu l’entendre aux côtés de Jacky Terrasson, Ricky Ford, Aldo Romano, et François Jeanneau pour n’en citer que quelques uns…
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As well as a being a reknowned sound engineer, Yohan is also a multi instrumentalist and arranger. Since studying at the ISTS school, he has become active in all forms of musical production: studio, touring, live shows, theatre, contemporary dance and circus. He has engineered for artists such as: Ibrahim Maalouf, Cie Uppercut and the Pee Bee.
Since 2003 he works as a live sound engineer for the Parc de la Villette in Paris, notably during the "Villette Jazz Festival" and "Villette Sonique". He is also technical advisor to "Sonic Protest". Other activites include acoustic consultancy for different venues.
In 2003 het set up his own business "La Manufacture Sonore" with Vincent Butori and Jean-Thomas Thomelin.