Après Josephine

Meet Pierre Mangeard.

Pierre Mangeard is a drummer with a nice groove. The French percussionist came to our attention after a late-night jam session at Duc des Lombards more than five years ago. Since then, he has released his first EP titled “Lemedouai,” and it doesn’t disappoint.

Apres Josephine wrote to the percussionist, who has collaborated with Hubert Dupont, Magic Malik, Debademba, Toukouleur Orchestra and La Dame Blanche, for our Les Gens section.

Here’s what Pierre had to say about his EP and finding the groove.

Tell us about the name and concept of your latest EP.

The EP is called “Lemedouai.” [The songs are the] first four compositions of my twenties, which I started to record in 2010 in NYC. I like to sing using a lot of rhythms with onomatopoeia.I like it the same way I love a song when I do not understand [the] lyrics. I can be crazy about a song — just because of the music— not because of the meaning, but I still feel that energy going through the lyrics.

This is what happened to me with James Brown, Michael Jackson, Biggie, Tupac, and Naughty by Nature. At first, “ Lemedouai” was just the onomatopoeia that came when I composed [each] tune. Ten years later, I decided to mix the concept of onomatopoeia with dreams. It was a dream and very ambitious thing to work with the team on my album, especially David Dyson and Andy Milne. I was influenced by them. I did it without a lot of trouble and [there are] some funny stories. But, I did release it!

What genres of music did you pull from?

In my compositions, I try to create groovy sensations, something you feel with natural rhythmic combinations. A mix of those grooves with modern funky jazz. Then, is it jazz/groove/funk? We say groover in French, when somebody has a tremendous groove. I don’t know how you say it in English. I think we are jazz, hip hop, afro, funk, and pop.

Paris [seemingly] has a high regard for Black American music — jazz in particular. When I met you, you were playing during a jam session at Duc des Lombards, and my mom hopped on the mic. To what extent has jazz and/or the blues influenced your music?

Afro-American music was part of my education. I grew up in a musical family. I have played and listened to jazz since I was a kid. If we talk about jazz, for me, improvisation is always welcomed in the music. The improvisator pushes the rhythms, and the rhythms push the improvisator; then you have more tension in the music, more power in the groove, and good times! That is basically what I took from jazz! Jazz, blues and then comes the funk and hip-hop. People used to play it like they were breathing in a crazy racist society. It was everything but superficial. When I play, I want to be honest. I have to like to do it a lot !

The director of the movie "Whiplash" talked about a performance that brought him to tears —Winard Harper playing for Billy Taylor trio (whom I happen to love and who I also saw perform with BT as a teenager) — what drummers have moved or influenced you?

First of all, the easiest thing to feel is my dad’s style! What I do with groove and scat, (my dad) is my roots and inspiration! Secondly, Gene Lake and Sean Rickman. The drummers who were playing with Andy Milne, David Dyson, and Steve Coleman. I have been influenced by all the drummers on the discs I played along with because that’s how I practiced at home, playing over Jamiroquai, Maceo Parker, Herbie Hancock, Steve Coleman, Coltrane, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and James Brown.

What live music spots would you recommend to people new to Paris, or let's broaden that to France as a whole?

In Paris, the most famous and newest places are La Gare, which is always full of people and free to get in, and La Petite Halle [which is a] part of the festival Jazz à la Villette. Also, Le 34 in the eighteenth arrondissement on Friday nights can surprise you!

You post a lot of funny/clever videos on social media. How does your sense of humor impact your music?

Back in 2007, Myspace was on fire, and I had my first camera. Now, the smartphone has a better camera, but I uploaded some crazy videos on my page. I’ve always wanted to have a camera to make funny videos. I think some people were scared and thinking I was [a] crazy megalomaniac! I just wanted to laugh and make people laugh. I use my sense of humor to promote my music.

And maybe, my open-minded joker [side] is reflected in the compositions, like the craziness of using onomatopoeia. I prefer it to seem funny, then the strange language of secte. For me, it’s just music.

The music is very serious and requires a lot of practice. But even if the music is very serious on stage, between the tunes, I prefer to break that seriousness by telling jokes! Life should be fun. I am very serious in the fact [that] I’m not! And of course, for the release of the “Lemedouai” clip, I have enjoyed creating a funny story with a crazy character, acting out to the rhythms of the tune.

You can sample and purchase Pierre’s latest EP here.