Stéphane Mercier & B. Connection
The origins of B.CONNECTION are at the Boston Berklee College of Music, sometime in the autumn of '92.
At that time, the formation considered itself as representative of the European character and very quickly, established a name while touring around Europe and performing at the Boston area.
Their 1st album DON'T BUTT IN LINE, recorded & produced by Dan Lacksman, has been singled by " Downbeat 18th Annual Student Music Award " as the best instrumental group, under the leading of George Garzone and made an impact when came out "live" on France Inter, Sunset and Hot Brass, in Paris. Or during a promotional on M6 & France 2 as well as doing the opening for a concert by Courtney Pine.
Progressively, B.CONNECTION expanded it's scope of action. The new idea of the group has maintained a nucleus (the family) while at the meantime feeding on the experience of others and a myriad of cultures.
The rap Afro-American Exile Society surrounded itself with Triple X on touring. Triple X is a simplified version of B.CONNECTION.
The improvisation body Interplay Collectif which started in Boston, finally setteled down in Switzerland and is another significant illustration.
The Marc Zubek Quartet (with Melvin Butler & Bill Stewart), the Pierre Lognay sextet (with Mark Turner & Chander Sardjoe) or more recently the New York group Rip Rhymes to fear , all borrowed members or a part of the répertoire of B.Connection.
Finally, the Bloomdaddies (with Seamus Blake, Chris Cheek, Jesse Murphy, Dan Rieser and Jorge Rossy ) called upon the competence of Mark Zubek for the co-production of their last album.
Currently based in New York, B. CONNECTION pursues its adventure and its experiences with the founding members who are joined by the Canadian Seamus Blake and the Mauritius Philippe Thomas.
The group music is more audacious than ever with it's original " groovy ", inflated with Polly rhythms and harmonic color of all styles.
It seems as if the key word of B.CONNECTION "there's no limit to expression" is as actual now as ever.
