The cellist with a thousand accents

Matthieu Saglio discovered the cello following a classical route (received a gold medal in the Conservatory of Rennes, France, 1995), he soon withdrew from whatever academism he was involved in and began to approach jazz in 1996, he later began to get involved in various types of music. His capacity to integrate various musical languages to create it’s own universe has been his personal stamp.

An ex-agronomist in Valencia

In 2002, his studies in agronomy brought him to Valencia in Spain where he then settled. It was a country that always appealed to him. This decision would determine the end of his short career in agricultural science and would drive him towards a career being a professional musician which happened the following year. The city of the orange trees was then in a period of musical growth where many of the most interesting artistic Spanish projects began to take root. Matthieu has two conclusive encounters there; with flamenco (“a real flash of inspiration!”, he remembers) and with Ricardo Esteve, noted flamencan guitarist.

Precursor of the flamenco cello with Jerez-Texas

The connection was instant between Matthieu and Ricardo Esteve. The two then contacted Jesús Gimeno, who plays the drums and comes from a jazz background, to form Jerez-Texas. The trio, who combine flamenco, jazz and classical music, begin to multiply their concerts so much that Matthieu decides to dedicate his life completely to music in 2003. Two decades later, with more than 500 concerts in 25 countries and 5 albums in the bag, Jerez-Texas has become one of the major references of new flamenco.

Alongside the Jerez-Texas adventure, Matthieu increases his number of projects. After having performed for many years with the Sephardic musical group Aman-Aman, in 2007 he began a collaboration with the Morrocan violinist Fathi Ben Yakoub. The duo created their own musical language to hang a bridge of 8 strings over the Mediterranean. The first album which was launched in 2009 allows one to discover the fusion between classic Western and classic Arabic music.

Cello Solo: his solo escape

In 2009, Matthieu brings a project, which he had had on his mind for a long time, to life; a solo repertoire, with his cello as his only companion. Cello Solo invites one to discover a musical universe which is rich and coherent and reflects all the influences that have made an impact on the musician. During the concerts, the use of the sampler allows him to record various voices of the cello live, which amplifies the space and enriches the compositions. Also accompanying him is Emilio Garrido, the unmistakable voice from Radio3, with texts from his novel “Aire de Fuga”.

Make the cello dialogue with other cultures

In 2011, Matthieu creates the group Diouke, with the Senegalese singer and kora player Abdoulaye N’Diaye, the Valencian accordionist Carlos Sanchis and the percussionist David Gadea. A group that soon appears on the posters of the best world festivals in Spain.

The same aspiration guides Matthieu in all his projects: to make his cello dialogue with other cultures. Thanks to an immediately distinctive sound and to a range of great diversity he has established himself as one of the most fascinating cello players of his generation. “Before playing ten different instruments, my idea is to play the cello in ten different ways,” he explains.

Résonance, an adventure in places with outstanding acoustic

In 2014 Matthieu took part in the recording of the first album by the project Résonance, together with the Belgian guitarist Quentin Dujardin and the French countertenor Samuel Cattiau. The band started touring in uncountable places with astonishing acoustic: cathedrals, churches, castles, etc. In 2019 a second album came to light: ”Illuminations” , recorded at the l’Abbaye de Noirlac with Léo Ullmann (violin), Bijan Chemirani (drums) and Doron David Sherwin (cornetto).

NES, an album released by the prestigious label ACT

In 2015 Matthieu launched a new formation: NES, together with the Franco-Algerian singer and cello player Nesrine Belmokh and the Spanish drummer David Gadea. The trio toured intensively and really started taking off after recording the album “Ahlam” released by the prestigious German label ACT in 2018. Unanimously welcome and acclaimed by international critics, their concerts keep multiplying throughout Europe (getting to play twice at the Berlin Philharmonic) and the album reaches 3 million streams on Spotify.

Amura, a trio with fire, elegance and a flamenco base

In 2019, just before the pandemic, a new trio begins: Amura, with Isabel Julve (voice, flamenco dance, castanets) and José ‘El Piru’ (flamenco guitar, ronroco). Together, united by a friendship of many years, they present a repertoire based on flamenco, with their own compositions, Latin American accents and a contagious mix of strength, elegance and joy of playing together.

‘El camino de los vientos’ with the flower of European jazz

In April 2020, Matthieu release the album ‘El camino de los vientos’ (The Way of the Winds), again on the prestigious ACT label, accompanied by remarkable guests, references of European jazz, long-term friends… and his three sons!
We will find there playing Nguyên Lê (guitar), Nils Petter Molvaer (trumpet), Carles Benavent (bass guitar), Vincent Peirani (accordion), Steve Shehan (drums, etc.), Bijan Chemirani (drums), Léo Ullmann (violin), Camille Saglio (voice), Ricardo Esteve (flamenco guitar), Isabel Julve (voice), Abdoulaye N’Diaye (voice) & Teo, Marco, Gael Saglio Pérez (chorus).
The album receives much international critical acclaim and 7 million streams on Spotify.

Matthieu Saglio Quartet & Live album

Following the album ‘El camino de los vientos’, Matthieu creates the Matthieu Saglio Quartet with Steve Shehan (percussion / drums), Christian Belhomme (piano / keyboard) and Léo Ullmann (violin). Together they begin to tour intensely in concert halls and festivals in Europe. In memory of a memorable night at the San Javier Jazz Festival, in July 2021, with various guest artists, they record the album ‘Live in San Javier 2021’. A concert qualified as ‘one of the 10 best concerts in the history of the Festival’ in the words of the organization.

‘Voices’ an album with great voices from around the world

With the album “Voices” (ACT, April 2023), Matthieu Saglio pursues a bold dream of uniting people with music, accompanied by his quartet and a fascinating list of guest vocal soloists from many countries (Susana Baca, Peru / Alim Qasimov, Azerbaijan / Natacha Atlas, Egypt / Nils Landgren, Sweden / Wasis Diop, Senegal / Anna Colom, Spain / Camille Saglio, France).
His idea was ‘to pay tribute to the voices of the world, of men, women, of all ages, of all languages… the voice as the essence of humanity…which at the same time brings people together and unifies them ‘.

Ambassador artist of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation

Since 2012, Matthieu has been named ambassador artist of the Yehudi Menuhín International Foundation, with which he is often invited to participate in original creation projects with other international artists.

Many compositions for theatre and audio-visual productions
Besides his composition work within his own projects, Matthieu is regularly requested for the composition of original sound-tracks for dance, theatre, documentary and film productions.