Taking influences from different cultures and experimenting with various kinds of sound has always been Erik Truffaz's forte.
The renowned trumpeter from Switzerland. enthralled Bangaloreans at Couter Culture on November 30.
Erik has mesmerised his Indian audience with Talvin Singh and Murcof at the Jazz Utsav in 2010. He is now back in India with his own legendary line-up, The Erik Truffaz Quartet, consisting of Marc Erbetta, Marcello Giuliani and Benoit Corboz.
“I have actually performed in Bangalore in 2009. It was for a niche audience at a French center in the city. We had a veena player amongst us who made the per formance so much more endearing," says Erik.
Deep Purple's album, 'Machine Head', was Erik's first vinyl record. That was the start of his musical journey which led him to gather influences from movies, art and musical genres like jazz, hip-hop, rockn-roll and dance. As a child he wanted to be a guitarist but eventually decided on the trumpet.
“I had learned playing the trumpet for six years before wanting to be a guitarist. At the age of 15, I had a chance to electrify my trumpet with a wha-wha pedal and a distortion pedal. That changed my course in music. I guess I was too lazy to learn another instrument," says Erik, who can also play the piano.
The year 1996 saw The Eric Truffaz Quartet enter the world of recognition through the hands of EMI. Habib Achour, who learned the piano from Erik many ago, created years ago, created the bridge between Erik and EMI and this saw the band become the first French band to release an album with EMI.
“At the end of a concert in 1995, a young man presented himself to me. His name was Habib Achour. I hadn't seen him since the last piano lesson that I gave him 15 years ago. He proposed to listen to my next recording so that it can be presented to EMI. The rest is history," says a grateful Erik.
