Raphael Bas's Page

Artist or company name

Raphael Bas

Please select Artist type. If you are an Artist in Schools or Teacher Artist additional information will be requested upon submission.

Artist

Contact email address.

raphaelbas@hotmail.com

Contact phone number.

504-756-5202

Contact physical address (street, city, state, ZIP)

1123 Congress Street, New Olreans, LA 70117

Artist or company website

http://www.raphaelbas.com

Please provide a brief (250 word) biographical sketch of the artist or a history of the company in question. For orchestras, please also include a biography of the conductor. This information will be viewable by the public.

Jazz guitarist Raphaël Bas is a well known fixture in the New Orleans music scene. Playing with fire, charisma and technical finesse, he brings life to any stage, large or small. His guitar playing is often described as “a synthesis of New Orleans jazz and the French Gypsy tradition of Django Reinhardt.”

Bas has a broad repertoire ranging from classical guitar to blues with harmonica on a rack, gypsy jazz, and traditional swing. He plays regularly as a solo act, a duo, trio, or part of a big band.

Originally from Bourges, France, Raphaël has been playing and writing music ever since he swiped his sister’s Christmas present – a classical guitar, at the age of 10. With constant study and dedication he taught himself to play, making his first stage debut at the annual Printemps de Bourges Music Festival at the age of 15. Following the gypsy musical traditions of his home town in the Loire Valley, he mastered the “manouche” style and played everywhere from street corners to bistros to concert halls. Growing restless in France, he took his guitar and harmonica to London, Australia, then finally the U.S. where he became enamored with the jazz scene in New Orleans, finally making it his home in March of 2005.

Raphaël was a founding member of the New Orleans gypsy jazz band Vavavoom (which won the Big Easy award for “best emerging group”) as well as his current band Gypsy Swing Club. He has played with countless local bands and performed at Snug Harbor, The Spotted Cat, Three Muses, d.b.a., Dos Jeffes, Balcony Music Club, Bacchanal and many others venues. Festival performances include: French Quarter Fest, Voo Doo Fest, Satchmo Summer Fest, Tennessee Williams Fest, and International Fest, among others.

Please cut and paste quotes from reviews and other publicity. If none, please indicate.

“In French it’s said, ‘il est tres bon,’ in Americanese simply, ‘he’s VERY good.”
- Jack Fine – New Orleans Jazz Vipers

“Raphaël Bas mixes European and New Orleans musical traditions, playing
guitar and harmonica, and ends up with an unique Gypsy Gumbo!”
-John Rankin

“Gypsy guitar and blues harmonica-a nice combination that places Raphaël in a class of his own.”
-Don Vappie

“Raphaël Bas is one of the most innovative and imaginative of New Orleans jazz artists
and his new release Harmonouche is filled with his creative genius and joy.”
-Jelly Roll Justice – WWOZ New Orleans

Please summarize the activities for touring or school activities.

Over the years and since music have become my main professional activity, I have performed and toured in US, Europe, and Australia with different formations and under different contracts as a solo artist or in bands, under my name, in collaboration with others or as a hired sideman.

Do you provide a Teacher's Guide?

No

Please provide the details of your technical rider. Indicate where you have flexibility.

As a solo performer my technical rider is simple. A good sounds system (PA), a stage monitor, a mic (with a light reverb), and an armless chair. I like to have a dark background with a strong white flooding light and subtle colored focal lights on me.

Required to give a dollar fee range. Please indicate your range with concise descriptions of activities at the upper and lower ends of the scale

Lower: $300 to $1200 for a 2hours solo act (guitar/ harmonica) for concerts and clinics, or trio ensemble (guitar/ harmonica, bass + guitar or accordion or horn player upon request).
Upper: $3000 and up for 2hours quartet ensemble (and beyond).
Price range is also based on the type of event, length of performance and location. Promotional vs educational performances serve different purposes and therefore are priced differently.
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