Press Book
‘From Bach to the multicultural avant-garde. (…) Matthieu Saglio has built, forged and consolidated one of the most interesting musical profiles on the European scene.’ – Los sonidos del planeta azul, Paco Valiente (ES)
VoicesLive in San Javier 2021El camino de los vientosNESJerez-TexasCello soloDioukeM. Saglio & Fathi Ben Yakoub
VOICES
World Music Chart of Europe (INT)
Top #2 albums of the month (Sept. 2023)
Transglobal World Music Chart (INT)
Top #10 albums of the month (Sept. 2023)
France Musique, Open Jazz, Alex Dutilh (FR)
‘A cellist we adore.’
Jazz Journal (GB)
‘This charming, elegant album celebrates the power, diversity and uniqueness of voices – both instrumental and human. Saglio and his wonderful quartet partner a range of vocalists from across the globe, giving the collection of songs here a truly international feel.’
WDR 3 (DE)
‘There’s a lot of room in Matthieu Saglio’s music for the cultures of the world, and with Voices he embraces them all.’
Kulturnews (DE)
‘Voices is the result of global discovery, with vocals from Peru, Azerbaijan, Sweden and Senegal and Saglio’s soulful cello tone as the connecting element.’
HR2 Kultur (DE)
‘For Matthieu Saglio, the human voice is the most intimate and touching instrument of all, virtually the sounding reflection of the human soul. On “Voices”, the cellist places eight different singers at the center of the musical action.’
Lira (SW)
‘Here jazz, classical, Arabic and African meet in a unique mix played with both warmth and sensuality. With all the expressive vocalists involved, the cellist has created another strong album.’
Portrait in Jazz (JP)
‘A message for freedom and democracy.’
RNE – José Miguel López (ES)
‘Extraordinary new album by Matthieu Saglio, a cellist who excels every day. The album is called ‘Voices’. There are exceptional collaborations but the best voice is his instrument which he makes sing with exquisite taste. Highly recommended.’
El Periódico de Aragón (ES)
‘ I have written about Mattieu Saglio that on his cello he brings together sacred and profane music, classical and folkloric, ancient and modern. Music of love and hopelessness, of celebration and mourning, of happiness and pain. (…) The journey, with the unmistakable and fascinating cello of Saglio as its flagship, goes from Peru to Azerbaijan, passing through Buenos Aires, Senegal and Spain. The waves of the sea bring jazz and classical flavor, and the whole makes up a sound mosaic as colorful as it is well assembled. Sometimes I hear voices.’
Jazz Rhône Alpes, Michel Clavel (FR)
‘A tireless composer with an inexhaustible inspiration, our favorite cellist is a regular in our best-ofs on each of his releases, where he knows how to renew his proposals without ever losing the soul of what makes his strength and his genius. (…) We find there all the penetrating force of his playing as of his sounds, this unique, masterful and distinguished signature which always seduces us instinctively. So as always, bravissimo el maestro, what a wonderful journey!’
RNE/Radio3 – En un mundo feliz, Tato Puerto (ES)
‘Matthieu Saglio is undoubtedly one of the greatest cellists in the world. His ability to masterfully compose and fuse different cultures and musical styles never cease to amaze me. And to his undoubted ability as an interpreter, Matthieu adds the courageous work of taking the cello out of its traditional classical music settings to make it dance with instruments and music from very different latitudes. Accompanied by exceptional musicians such as Steve Shehan on percussion, Léo Ullman on violin and Christian Belhomme on keyboards, now he presents his new work; “VOICES”. And for the occasion Matthieu has managed to realize the dream of being able to make music with several singers whom he has admired for many years. Natacha Atlas, his brother Camille Saglio, Alim Qasimov and Anna Colom, are some of the wonderful voices that help, once again, Matthieu Saglio to make musical magic with this essential “VOICES”.’
B!Ritmos (ES)
‘Matthieu Saglio is, without any doubt, a fundamental name in the world music genre. (…) With absolute trust in his quartet, Steve Shehan (percussion), Christian Belhomme (piano and keyboards) and Léo Ullmann (violin) and himself on compositions and cello, Saglio for this occasion has invited some of the most important voices around the globe and has composed songs that jump without hesitation along the meridians and parallels so that the listener can enjoy compositions loaded with different rhythmic nuances, but united by that taste for delicacy that makes Saglio’s music a safe bet in any international contest.’
Un disco al día, Fernando Neira (ES)
‘A burst of colors and geographical origins that impregnates the palate with a tasty and prolonged aftertaste. (…) The great feasts have to be like this: exemplary in their breadth of vision and ability to unite. (…) Lucky those who stop their daily hustle and bustle for a long hour to take refuge in Voices: they still can’t imagine the gift they will be getting.’
Mas Jazz (ES)
‘With Voices, Matthieu Saglio creates a unique and touching musical experience that will touch his audience and make them sing, dance and cry.’
Paris Move (FR)
‘A beautiful tribute to voices, the voices of the world, that takes us through all states of mind, invites us to travel, to listen and dance.’
Marlbank (GB)
‘Elegant music that dips in and out of many styles from all over the world.’
Jazz Sensibilities (INT)
‘With Voices, visionary French cellist Matthieu Saglio demonstrates his ability to transform seemingly impossible dreams into tangible musical realities.’
Worldmusiccentral (INT)
‘Although Saglio’s exquisite, charming and colorful cello plays an essential role throughout the album as a captivating solo and rhythmic instrument, Saglio steps back on multiple occasions to spotlight the guests vocalists and members of his regular working quartet.
A brilliant mix of chamber music, contemporary jazz, and world music spanning various continents.
The album transcends the barriers of gender, age, and language, encapsulating the very essence of humanity itself.’
Distrito Jazz (ES)
‘A lovely, light and brilliant album.’
NDR Kultur (DE)
‘Beauty and harmony, with voices of different people from different regions and generations.’
Concerto (AT)
‘A beautiful vocal mosaic with songs from various languages, textures and emotions.’
Radio Proglas (CZ)
‘With powerful melodies, Matthieu Saglio pays tribute to the voices from around the world.’
RNE Radio3, Charlie Faber (ES)
‘Fascinating! An exquisite, delicate, familiar album, made with love.’
Diario Crítico (ES)
‘Great among the greats. “Primus inter pares”.’
RNE Radio3, Kiko Helguera (ES)
‘A true revolution for this string instrument.’
La Opinión de Murcia (ES)
‘Saglio soars in his mysticism to create a welcoming sonic atmosphere and, in turn, a vibrant intensity, with incomparable textures and expressive registers. A concert bordering on the outstanding, overflowing with sensitivity, with absolute precision of movements.’
El Diario.es (ES)
‘An unforgettable night. A mind open to other cultures that he delicately and virtuously captures with his cello and quartet, in works of descriptive beauty that are difficult to compare.’
LIVE IN SAN JAVIER 2021
Jazz Magazine (FR)
‘Matthieu Saglio illuminates in his own way the fertile paths that link jazz and Mediterranean music. (…) Like his violinist Léo Ullmann, his singing touch, similar to a flamenco voice, was illustrated within a rhythm section (Steve Shehan on percussion, Christian Belhomme on piano) which shines with an alliance of lightness and admirable propelling force.’
Son du monde, Francisco Cruz (FR)
‘At the end, we can adopt this mode of listening and jump from one disc to another, like Saglio which changes climate, atmosphere, register, between whirling evocations of flamenco, syncopated memories of tango, Arabic melodies undulations, modal jazz wanderings. Seeking a possible future, for music, for life.’
Roots Music Report, Joe Ross (US) ****
‘Similar to the creativity and capability displayed by jazz violinists like John Blake and Didier Lockwood, I was very pleasantly surprised to hear cellist Matthieu Saglio embarking on his own personal effervescent journey, fronting a jazz quartet, and incorporating elements of surprise and delight. All together, they create serene and subtle dynamic mood changes (…)This is organic musical fusion, based on the jazz idiom, with several other lovely colorings.
Songlines (GB) ***
‘The lively spirit of what was clearly a memorable night in the career, still very much in its upward trajectory, of this talented and charismatic performer.’
Jazz-Rhone-Alpes, Michel Clavel (FR) – Top 10 best of 2021
‘Sublime, inevitably sublime… Once again, the “celestial cello” Matthieu Saglio imposes himself at the height of emotion with the wonderful live performance of his new quartet.’
Couleurs Jazz (FR) – album HIT Couleurs Jazz
‘Matthieu Saglio is establishing himself as one of the great – if not the greatest – of French jazz cellists, and this latest album, recorded live at the San Javier International Jazz Festival in Spain in July 2021, demonstrates this eloquently. (…) Between jazz, Seville, Bach, Mali, and a thousand other universes, real or imaginary, here is a sumptuous album, an hour and more of musical happiness which is none other than that experienced by this band of musicians -friends creating beautiful music together!’
El Diario (ES)
‘Without any doubt, Matthieu Saglio has become one of the most prestigious, original and essential instrumentalists in European jazz of the 21st century. ‘
Tomajazz Radio, Pachi Tapiz (ES)
‘A magnificent proof that there is both European jazz in general and Mediterranean-inspired jazz in particular.’
RTBF-La Première, Didier Mélon (BE)
‘Matthieu has something special, which certainly makes him unique and bewitching… Throughout albums and concerts, he distils quite unstoppable melodies, often incredible, always appreciable. For some projects, including this one, it is he who is in the front line, who distributes the roles and participations. In the spotlight, follow the cellist carefully, he has some very nice vibes to share!’
ERT Kosmos, Giorgos Markakis (GR)
‘Matthieu Saglio is simply an amazing lyrical virtuoso! He manages to blend different Mediterranean colours and traditions on a magical lyrical canvas.’
Andre Rheaume, CIBL FM (CA)
‘In these crazy times, we need this rare quiet strength carried by Matthieu Saglio and his accomplices.’
Global Village, Chris Heim (USA)
#1 on our top 40 list this month
Tangents Radio, Dore Stein (USA)
‘A cross-pollinating music approach we deeply appreciate.’
Neon Jazz Radio, Joe Dimino (USA)
‘On Matthieu Saglio’s latest project, he again captures the sheer power and appeal of live music on Live in San Javier 2021. During a pandemic time where fans need to feel connected to their favorite artists, Matthieu surrounds himself with a stellar group of musicians to deliver a sublime performance that will go down as a seminal moment in his very impressive career. Bravo to Matthieu for again excelling in a way we all can enjoy on listen after listen after listen.’
Heraldo de Aragón, Gonzalo de la Figuera (ES)
‘His music took us from the roots to the clouds. (…) Matthieu Saglio gave a master class on what we could call infinite cello.’
B! Ritmos, Candido Querol (ES)
‘A wonderful recording. A magical night. (…) that fusion of music on an open jazz that facilitates the emotions of any stage.’
‘Matthieu Saglio, who has managed to gain the trust of the German label ACT and the respect of great European musicians who accompany him without hesitation on his recordings, continues to be able to wrap emotions without haste in his live shows.’
José Miguel López, RNE (ES)
‘Matthieu Saglio is an exceptional cellist. He plays with great taste and excellent technique. His repertoire is very wide and he looks for new paths in each project. This album recorded live is extraordinary with good guest artists. Highly recommended.’
Plaza Radio (ES)
‘Listening to Matthieu Saglio speak and play the cello at the end of the interview and hearing the songs from the album during it, has transported us to sublime territories that make us feel a deep gratitude.’
musicologie.org (FR)
‘A beautiful ensemble with multiple melodies and voices.’
Radio3, Tato Puerto (ES)
‘An excellent new musical installment from the great cellist Matthieu Saglio.’
Noticias Clave, Jordi Rueda (ES)
‘The personality and experience of the French cellist based in Valencia, has led him to create a jazz discourse where his classical training, flamenco and world music meet and seamlessly fit together. To his poetic performances are added freely those of his magnificent stage partners. (…) A memorable evening, one of those that are usually unique.’
Periódico Publicidad (ES)
‘Tremendously exciting and moving.’
Radio3, Peligrosamente juntos (ES)
‘A wonderful album.’
El Periódico de Aragón, Javier Losilla (ES)
‘A soirée in which the brilliant compendium of music brought to life by Matthieu Saglio’s cello takes on even more captivating dimensions.’
Diario La Verdad (ES)
‘A thousand accents dressed in improvisation, and freedom, feeling and humility that have never understood political and cultural barriers. The cello that has never been afraid to transgress and succeed.’
Radio Nacional de España, Pepa Fernández (ES)
‘It’s a privilege to hear how this cello breathes.’
Radio 4G, Fernandisco (ES)
‘The fashionable cellist. Thanks to musicians like him, the world is a little happier.’
Diario La Razón (ES)
‘The magic of the precursor of the flamenco cello.’
The New York City Jazz Record (US)
‘Evolving an eclectic hybrid style both refined and eminently listenable.’
7 million Spotify listens
EL CAMINO DE LOS VIENTOS
France Musique (FR)
‘An album that you never tire of listening again.’
jazz-rhone-alpes.com (FR)
‘Album of the year. A rich and full work after twenty years of international career, always carried out in the excellence and humility of the greatest. Like the digest of the best in this outstanding cellist who delivers to us with this sublime album the quintessence of Beauty in all its facets.’
Mondo Sonoro (ESP)
Top 10 best national world music albums of 2020.
‘His album, with a cinematographic air, is a very elegant dialogue between cultures with luxurious collaborations.’
UPV Radio, Paco Valiente (ESP)
‘A creator in compositional fullness, achieving with his instrument a sweet, intoxicating and powerful sound that reflects the humility of a great musician and the virtuosity of a brilliant interpreter who cares little about going off the classical path.’
B! Ritmos, Candido Querol (ESP)
‘Saglio’s music comes and goes in simple waves and fills any temple anywhere in the world with love. Saglio has composed small pieces of jewelery that will help you to love beauty above all else.’
STEREO (DE)
‘Editor’s picks – albums of the year 2020’
Doce Notas (ESP)
‘Virtuoso with a cause and with great sonority.’
El Periódico de Aragón (ESP)
‘Matthieu Saglio transforms everything (…) his music, like that of Erik Satie or the paintings of Édouard Cortès, is deeply evocative. An evocation that transcends physical and temporal limits to settle in a territory of global places and dreams. Saglio’s cello contains sacred and secular, classical and folk, ancient and modern music. Music of love and hopelessness, of celebration and mourning, of happiness and pain. And he extracts them with care and passion, skillfully handling the bow of life. ‘
Babelmed (FR)
‘Interiority, power, emotion, humility, prayer, especially hope that takes precedence over everything else: yes Matthieu believes in the sun and in the light, and offers us, with this sumptuous album, surrounded by his musical accomplices, a pure moment of JOY. The very discreet Matthieu Saglio, who chose to live in Valencia, Spain, far from the noisy capitals, is arguably the greatest French jazz cellist today … ’
Telerama (FR)
Album sélection fff
WDR3 (DE) ‘Album of the week’
‘It is a Mediterranean album of the Mediterranean dream of a cultural entity. Everything is very calm and fluent and that’s what makes this album so graceful… with a considerable number of celebrity guest musicians.’
NDR3 (DE)
‘A voice calls us. We should follow her.’
Ouest France (FR)
‘The enchanted parentheses of an unforgettable journey, music of absolute purity and serenity whose high point, the ‘Bolero triste’, is one of those heady melodies that transport you very far and for a long time.’
Blogfoolk (IT)
‘El camino de los vientos can effectively express the happy connection of free spirits in boundless exploration.’
TRANSGLOBAL WORLD MUSIC CHART (INT)
‘Top 10 album of the month’.
KDVS “Crossing Continents” (USA)
‘A gem of a masterpiece. This album is clearly his most profound achievement to this day. Being verse in various musical genres is clearly evident here. His technique is a joy to experience and the way he shares the stage with his fellow musicians on this album, stands out!’
Laboratorium M. F. (POL)
‘Matthieu Saglio captivates with its executive mastery, an almost supernatural musical sense and a sense of beauty in art. In other words – Matthieu Saglio has talent. His way of playing the cello sounds exceptionally accessible, but is devoid of any signs of triviality. The album is full of technical complexities, while keeping tracks that allow the listener to be completely captivated and to forget all the banalities of everyday life. ‘
LIRA (SE)
‘Life-affirming music that one does not get enough of.’
Jazz Special (DK)
‘A fascinating trip with great techique and creative fantasy.’
Fono Forum (DE) ***** Album of the month
‘World jazz, calm and poetic. ‘
Hifi Stars (DE)
‘An impressive work in which the rushing wind of music holds no limits.’
SRF (CH)
‘An album that deals with musical traditions from all four directions.’
Kulturzeitschrift [AT]
‘Like the wind, the album title suggests, Matthieu Saglio effortlessly combines continents and styles to create an impressive panopticon of moods, colors and unobtrusive virtuosity.’
Jazz thing (DE)
‘A cello flight halfway around the world – without musical or spiritual barriers.’
ORF, ‘Spielräume’ (AT)
‘Going on a journey and staying at home: The music by Matthieu Saglio is so finely spun, comes across so relaxed that we think we are in a hammock from which we can explore the world.’
RNE-Radio3, Tato Puerto (ESP)
‘Jazz, World Music, Flamenco and Classical Music come together and enrich each other in a unique album, loaded with nuances and colors and reflecting the mastery, maturity and depth of an exceptional musician.’
SWR 2 (DE)
‘One of the most interesting cellists of today.’
Songlines (GB) * * * *
‘A vital dialogue between cultures and an accomplished album that acts as a showcase for Saglio’s prodigious talent.’
jazz-rhone-alpes.com / Michel Clavel (FR) Best album of the year
‘A rare eclecticism which gives the measure of his open-mindedness and his artistic capacity to conceive a world music in the broadest sense of the term, with touching elegance always.’
‘It has been a long time since such an album had touched on the sublime, overwhelming us with emotion from start to finish with tears of happiness at the edge of our eyes at every moment. A jewel all the more sparkling that many prestigious international musicians made a point of bringing their (precious) stone to the building.’
Financial Times (UK)
‘A richly flavoured musical stew.(…). Saglio’s vibrant tone, touch and technique stand out on every track, but, impressively, never at the expense of his guests.’
London Jazz News (UK)
‘El camino de los vientos allows us to travel to musical places of great beauty.(…) A beautiful tapestry of collaboration, cultures and musical inspirations. This is a much-needed antidote to lockdown life.’
World Music Central (USA)
‘Saglio has been making exquisite music for years, introducing the cello to flamenco and collaborating with musicians from across the globe. ‘El Camino de los Vientos’ defies musical boundaries, incorporating a wide range of musical influences, highlighting the versatility of the cello. The album also features an impressive cast of guest musicians.’
Tomajazz (ES)
‘A very varied and magnificent album.’
André Rhéaume Music (CA)
‘A recording of a beauty to melt the ice !’
ERT Kosmos (GR)
‘The masterpiece album.’
Global Village – PBS FM (AU)
‘Highlights of the month.’
Stereo (DE) *****
‘What more should you praise: the colorful play of the cellist, the openness to influences from various music cultures or his gift to give the classical instrument the leading role and make it sound completely natural? […] World jazz, calm and poetic. Album of the month.’
Jazzpodium (DE)
‘A convincing plea for a new togetherness, for a world without artificial borders.’
Jazzthetik (DE) ****
‘A varied musical journey through the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia.’
Der Kulturblog (DE)
‘A brilliantly composed and played sound carpet that invites you on a worldwide musical journey.’
L’Alsace (FR)
‘Prodigious soundscapes. Everything becomes beautiful, airy, limpid and soft. Magic!’
3 million Spotify listens
NES
The London Times (GB)
‘Nesrine Belmokh is an incandescent, multilingual talent and ‘Ahlam’ one of the albums of the year.’
The Guardian (GB)
‘An inventive trio switching effortlessly from Arab-Andalusian styles to blues and chanson. World-music album of the month.’
The evening Standard (GB)
‘A name to watch!’
Arte TV Metropolis (DE / FR)
‘New, wonderful music and a voice, that gets straight to your heart. A potential hit!’
Deutschlandfunk (DE)
‘The time of NES has come.’
Jazzthetik (DE)
‘The debut album ‘Ahlam’ will clearly raise attention. “Ahlam” means “dream” and with this CD, NES have not only fulfilled their own dream – they also sound dream-like.’
Music Frames (NL)
‘A wonderful album.’
Masjazz (ES)
‘From this formation we can only expect great things, while we continue to listen to “Ahlam”, hypnotized and seduced.’
SWR 2 (DE)
‘Sensitive mix of a modern nomad music. Album of the week.’
France Inter, André Manoukian (FR)
‘NES make us hear the beauty of the world, an inspirational jewel.’
Rockdelux (ES)
‘An inspirational work. A huge grain of sand in favor of peace.
J. Miguel López Discópolis/ Radio3 (ESP)
‘What an enchantment, what an exquisiteness, what a taste!’
Le Monde (FR)
‘An immediate charmfull album’
Longplay (PL)
‘An extremely interesting album for all who prefer ethnic music in a broad sense.’
Liberté-Hebdo (FR)
‘This very accomplished album in which the goodness disputes it with the beauty (…) A very neat work.’
Fono Forum (DE) * * * *
‘Music with touching urgency.’
WDR 3 (DE)
‘A poetic journey within the world of Mediterranean music. Album of the week’
Paris Move (FR)
‘A nugget of intelligence, beauty and poetry (…) essential.’
Melómano (ES) ****
‘An innovative universe full of enchanting freshness and grace.’
La Razón (ES)
‘NES is one of those young and innovative bands that have refreshed the music market and that is guaranteed by phenomenal praise from the public and critics.’
RTS (SW)
‘Of extraordinary generosity (…) simplicity, complicity and pleasure.’
JEREZ-TEXAS
El País, Chema García Martínez (ES)
‘Jerez-Texas’ music is a small miracle, or a big one, depending on how you see it. It’s the type of music you would listen to all your life. (…) Jerez-Texas’ music isn’t flamenco, or jazz, or even flamenco-jazz, but rather something else that is difficult to describe, as there are no words that successfully manage to describe a dream.’
Tomajazz.com (ES)
‘A kaleidoscopic set where the fun takes over. (…) a collaboration to be reckoned with not only for their excellent performance but also for their ability to source their work from it’s authentic roots with originality and great clarity of ideas in their interpretation.’
World Music (INT)
‘The album Sun is a real gem, they are even better live as the trio makes it look easy which is a skill only great musicians achieve.’
Agencia EFE (ES)
‘The Spanish group Jerez-Texas – who played at San Javier as a sextet – and the quartet from the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter have created a remarkable night of flamenco, classical music and jazz. The public, celebrating the 5th night of the IX Jazz Festival of San Javier in the auditorium of the Almansa Park, was delighted. Jerez-Texas managed, at the end of the concert, to win the public’s warm and fond recognition, greatly deserved, as if they were part of the family. A wonderful concert.’
Mondomix (ES)
‘On first impression an amazing blend of music, which on listening proves to be sensational, on “Saó” Jerez-Texas takes you to places beyond your imagination with great daring but without being overblown.’
FNAC – Cuadernos de Verano (ES)
‘With such original material, it is not surprising that Saó is teeming with energy, freedom and elegance.’
El Mundo (ES)
‘Jerez-Texas brings together imagination and musical creativity, quality and skill.’
Emilio Garrido – Radio3 (Radio Nacional de España) (ES)
‘One of the two best concerts of the summer 2007 in Spain.’
Web Acidjazzhispano (INT)
‘Patchwork, an album which should definitively impose [Jerez-Texas] as one of the most interesting projects in the national panorama, in addition to being ‘a must’ for all those who like successful fusions.’
Los Sonidos del Planeta Azul –UPV Radio, Paco Valiente (ES)
‘Their musical language, personal and recognizable, becomes universal by integrating the best essence of free and creative jazz, an elegance that suits the classical repertory, the flamenco and the Mediterranean music in general. (…) An album rich in nuances and textures, kaleidoscopic and brilliant.’
B! Ritmos (ES)
‘A new folklore: close to jazz, full of the joy of songs from the south and with all the freedom of 3 people who believe in their project. (…) In their new work, the sound is again of an unquestionable quality, and the compositions widen the spectrum which extends to every sound of all the people who have come close, over the centuries, to the Mediterranean shore. One of the most interesting concerts of the coming months.’
El Olivo Flamenco (ES)
‘Another masterpiece, living example speaking volumes about what can be or can represent the mix between flamenco and the musics of the world. (…) a musical delight for all public.’
World Music (INT)
‘A delightful musical cocktail to enjoy with great pleasure. (…) This international recognition is more than deserved and will certainly increase after the publication of this excellent album.’
Mondomix (ES)
‘They harmonise jazz and flamenco with effortless grace, enhanced by crystalline vocal exercises in Spanish or Wolof. Esteve, Saglio and Gimeno thus instil a feeling that a new folklore is being re-invented around the time-and-tested repertoires from southern Spain. (…) a treasure-trove of sensations.’
CELLO SOLO
Patrick Derlon – FIP (FR)
‘If you want it or not, music nourishes our soul. Certain is, that if you are used to frozen food, a three-star menu may surprise and confuse you. This is what happens with the music of Matthieu Saglio. It nourishes our soul. It surprises and diverts us. The inner world what the artist proposes us through his music is so rich, that if you are afraid to bring to your ears what he generously offers you, let your soul simply get fed from it. Guaranteed three-stars!’
El País (ES)
‘It’s difficult for an instrument soloist on the cello to explore such foreign waters that are so far away from the pleasant river-bed of classical music. The proof is in the concert that was performed tonight in the Palau de la Música in Valencia, titled Cello Solo, in which he undertakes a peculiar exercise of merging styles, classic virtuosity and creative improvisation.’
El País (ES)
‘The figure of the French cellist Matthieu Saglio blends two factors together which works what seems to be the improbable: an indisputable hability from his classical training, to extract all forms of possible sonority from an instrument, and an opening of methods that have no stylistic or geographic limits, from which it is possible to draw a straight line that begins with Bach and reaches tango, funk, or oriental auras, without derailing his train in doing so.’
Amancio Prada (singer & songwriter) (ES)
‘ It’s much more than a cello. His music will keep echoing with a trace of beauty and emotion that will attend you for a long time; maybe forever.’
Dimanche Ouest France (FR)
‘Unclassifiable and universal.’
World Music (INT)
‘Excellent work (…) with absolutely lovely moments. The combinations of the cello with his own voice are surprisingly magical. (…) He himself states that the cello allows a lot more technical possibilities than those that tend to be used in practice and he shows this by expanding his range of pitch, discovering sounds that seemed unusual for this instrument. While a cello concert in theory could seem a little monotonous, the truth is that Matthieu proves quite the opposite and causes the listener to vibrate with the sounds that he manages to draw out with his instrument. (…) A delight.’
Nadia Khouri – Babelmed.net (FR)
‘The Allemande of Suite nº1 of Bach opens this album as if Matthieu Saglio, trained in classical music, wanted to tell us that he doesn’t at all deny his first love, although now he enjoys exploring new horizons. Furthermore, the album –that first became a performance, launched in February 2009 in Madrid where it received a great ovation by the public- was developed to make us travel, imperceptibly, through different musical landscapes like with a train, which passes from one area to another in a smooth ride without any bumps in the road.’
AU Agenda Urbana (ES)
‘The album is a marvelous discovery (…) with moments of delicate power that palpitate and dissipate, leaving a melancholy satisfaction as its leaves.’
Salamanca Library Blog (ES)
‘There is no doubt that the Cello Solo performance will remain in our hearts, ears and skin for a long time, for those of us who had the pleasure of hearing it yesterday. Dos Suites de Bach opened and closed the show, and in the middle was a sonorous journey given to us through Matthieu’s compositions interpreted with great virtuosity which the composer doesn’t flaunt about. Everything is planned as a unique journey where it is only at the end of the concert when we are conscious of having arrived at a destination.’
Café Babel (INT)
‘An unclassifiable cellist.’
AgroMag (FR)
‘A first class cellist.’
L’Info Métropole de Rennes (FR)
‘A magnificent album. An identifiable style from the first chord vibration.’
Nous Vous Ille (FR)
‘A revelation.’
DIOUKE
Carlos Pérez de Ziriza (ES)
‘Fabulous album, (…) which gives sense to the term “Global Music”. I wish all the music born under the alibi of fusion would have such a laid-back approach.’
Skyline (La línea del Horizonte) – Brigitte Vasallo (ES)
‘Their first album is a piece of daylight, kind and full of hope, filled with suggestive songs: the perfect melody for a winter supposed to be long and times that tend to darkness.’
[ukvibe.org] – Tim Stenhouse (GB)
‘A real slow burner of an album that deserves your attention. (…) One of the year’s most intriguing discoveries.’
Los Sonidos del Planeta Azul, UPV Radio – Paco Valiente (ES)
‘They started from traditional African music to compose nine tracks, where a continuous African-European-American dialogue of meticulously worked out compositions is to be found, full of small details that give birth to pieces as beautiful as optimistic and innermost. African essence in the songs, blues as emotional reference, and a kaleidoscopic cello able to transit from a classical score to avant-garde jazz or Mandingo culture, with virtuosity and a dazzling creativity. (…) Extraordinary album.’
El País – Chema García Martínez (ES)
‘Listening to Diouke, one feels the world is a nice place to live.’
Discópolis, RNE – José-Miguel López (ES)
‘A cosmopolitan trio nowhere else to be found, (…) an exquisite music, based on tradition, although not traditional at all.’
World Music (INT)
‘The Senegalese Abdoulaye N’Diaye (kora and voice), the Frenchman Matthieu Saglio (cello and voices) and the Valencian Carlos Sanchís (accordion, harmonica and keyboard) met in Valencia, where this peculiar trio was born, and whose music belongs to an open and elegant World Music style. Sounds of Africa, Mediterranean tastes, classic lyricism and jazz’s freedom merge in such an efficient way to ring simple, in spite of the difficulties it raised. The naturalness with which sounds and instruments of apparently distant origin melt together, draws attention. This is precisely the great discovery of our trio: merging elements apparently disparate into something inborn… And achieving this with an aesthetic concept full of elegance and good taste. N’Diaye and Saglio are the main composers of this album, that ends up with a traditional theme (“Toubanka”). The trio has managed to round off a music that results attractive at every single moment, succeeding in making it enjoyable from the beginning till the end. At this time full of so many forced fusions, it is greatly encouraging to prove that it is indeed possible to obtain results as natural as the mouth of a freshwater river flowing into the salty waters of the sea.’
A+MAG (FR)
‘All of this album is marked with a serene spirit, exhibiting ranges where the kora and the cello feel free, and where the accordion of Carlos Sanchis turns into a murmur, a caress full of gentleness… A perfect success.’
Emilio Garrido – RNE (ES)
‘A tremendous emotion. The feeling that, whatever will happen to us, we will always be protected from disasters thanks to music and fearless hearts. Diouke is all this and much more. If you haven’t heard it yet, you can’t imagine the surprises that are awaiting you, until you open the cellophane. Or when, for example, the theme “Toubanka” gets into your ears, the feeling in your innermost of the delightful joy of being alive.’
M. SAGLIO & FATHI BEN YAKOUB
World Music (INT)
‘The duet works to perfection (…) the two protagonists are virtuous of their instruments. A highly recommendable album for lovers of string instruments and musical encounters of different cultures.’
Diario Levante, Josep Lluís Galiana (ES)
‘Beyond instrumental and interpretive virtuosity-both musicians showed complete mastery in their respective string instruments- in aesthetic and stylistic virtuosity. Yakoub and Saglio have achieved this fusion, this mix of oriental and western, of North and South, hanging a silver bridge across the Mediterranean in which both musical expressions have found themselves and joined together to become one voice, one pulse, in a unique way of expressing emotions, feelings, happiness, daydreams and most definitely, sensuality. (…)
These musicians coming from such different origins manage to recreate a close musical atmosphere, aswell as being distant, millenary and constructed with the sedimentation of musicians and using gestures which are very different, but that wrap the audience in a magic ancestral halo.’
Nadia Khouri – Babelmed.net (FR)
‘One is surprised realising that the cello, which is rarely used in Arabic music, seems to free-run in it, contributing to the seriousness and melancholy which belongs to this instrument, and inner-self atmospheres that classical oriental music cultivates also. Two yellow butterflies that dance together in full flight are pictured on the album cover, and the variations of the two string instruments are synonymous with the graceful and unexpected movements, ones we have always loved, as these creatures are, more than birds that can be encaged, the ultimate symbol of freedom. An album that seduces lovers of one instrument or another…’