Mam: Meddled Times

Review: Ouest-France

Translation:

MAM stands for “Musique Acoustique Machines”… enough said or almost. The essential and interest of this trio dwell in the alliance and confrontation between acoustic and electronic. On the one hand, the dry and hammering aspect of the rhythmic section and the beats. On the other hand, the lassitude of the violin and the accordion, certainly spiced up with various and interesting sounds as well as repetitive tunes. It certainly does not sound radio friendly to fresh ears. However, this inventive music is easily domesticated and stands out for its unique and diverting flavor.

Review: Accordeon Magazine

Translation:

M as “Magnificent”. A as “Acronychal”. M as “Magisterial”. This is M.A.M., Musique acoustique & machines. Independent and unique. An unusual and multitasking band where various acoustic fields and machines played by Fab, wander in “extraphenomenal” landscapes. An experiment to be lived, heard and seen. Catching electro melodies, left-overs from jazz music that are blended with and shaped by eclectic tones in a singular world where runs a river of intensity. All possible connections between machines and instruments are established. Viviane’s accordion and François Michaux’s violin are merging and throwing suburban melodies at each other whereas instruments, synths, computers, pads and video are calling each other out to create a new temporal frame and annihilate the border between the present and the past. The descent can be virtual and pyramidal, smooth and soft. The ascent, through a psychedelic and colorful atmosphere where sparse sweet voices are perceived can be musically staggering. Rhythmic and syncopated feels, poured or hold back by futuristic and melodic synth layers…A CD and a DVD that will throw you off balance. Very impressive. A must have.

www.mammusic.bandcamp.com. You will be able to listen to the entire sons and album. Not just itunes snip-it feature. We are trying to plan a east coast multi show tour this summer ans spring let us know where you would like us to come!

Dark groove conceived one winter morning in a hotel room somewhere in
a French suburb. It was written for a contemporary Jazz group in mind.
With MAM it opened up, light came on with the addition of a reggae-ish
section and the grandiose synth solo. The very moody music inspired
Maurice to use old New York images shot from a subway ride for the
live show. You can see some of it on the DVD.

The latest project by MAM is a muti-disciplinary show blending acoustic music and machines. It brings together the musical universe of Viviane Arnoux (accordion, vocals) and François Michaud (violin and viola, vocals) and the groovy, inventive sound of Fabulous Fab’s machine, all this accompanied by a light and video show by Maurice L’Ampoule.

(www.budamusique.com)

We spent 15 days on a boat outside the western French countryside to write music for the album. François’s mother had just died. He had to leave and attend her funeral in Canada, ultimately giving him less time to create. Upon his return he showed us a tune he had written on the plane. It was very heavy and groove-intensive. We added some melodic touches here and there, and npw that’s our hit! Thanks for François’ mother!

At the beginig of the creation of the show, we used an old gramophone
one stage with a microphone on the record from a 78 tour of a old
american jazz big band.
And one time we brought the record! “Débris de jazz”!e

We were mostly jamming and improvising, seeing what we could come up with. We got stuck playing in 7/4 for a while. Once I caught the bass line and we refined the melody we knew we had something. I remember stepping out for a smoke afterwards. It was a very late night during a strangely hot and windy winter night. The birds were  singing and I thought it could be the end of summer. It left me feeling September