Gregoire Maret／suzuki music

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Grégoire was born in 1975 in Switzerland. He began his musical career as a harmonica player at age 17. He studied harmonica in the Jazz department at The New School University where he graduated with a bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Since then, Grégoire has continued to actively pursue his career, sharing the stage as well as recording with artists of worldwide fame - including Cassandra Wilson, Marcus Miller, Pat Metheny Group and Herbie Hancock. He also founded the group ‘Gaia’ alongside Federico Gonzales Peña and Gene Lake. Grégoire is undoubtedly one of the most respected and skillful chromatic harmonica players in the world today. He is a superb performer, with a unique stage presence whether playing jazz, fusion, world music, or whatever…. The listener’s eyes are constantly drawn to him.

Here we are so excited to have the world famous chromatic harmonica player, Grégoire Maret! Grégoire is a member of the world-renowned Pat Metheny Group and Marcus Miller Band. Last year Grégoire toured with Herbie Hancock and has also been seen performing with other well known artists. Grégoire is one of the most respected chromatic harmonica players in the world today. Now Grégoire, please talk to us about your enthusiasm for chromatic harmonica and your signature chromatic harmonicas, which will go on sale worldwide in the coming autumn!

Q1. Tell us about how you were introduced to chromatic harmonica.: A1: My parents gave me a chromatic harmonica for my 16^th birthday. Before that I was only playing diatonic harmonica (blues). After my first year in high school, I changed my major to music and started playing the chromatic almost by obligation, since they wouldn't accept me if I played the diatonic harmonica. At this point I started playing jazz standards with other high school students as well as studying classical music. Once I switched to the chromatic I never went back.

Q2. Is there anybody who inspired or influenced you in music, especially for harmonica?: A2: There are many musicians that have had a huge influence on me. If I look at harmonica players, the obvious ones are Toots Thielemans and Stevie Wonder. Other musicians include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Kenny Garrett, Steve Coleman, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays and the list goes on. Although I would say that the four musicians that probably influenced me the most are Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.

Q3. What makes chromatic harmonica special for you? What musical effects can it give you that you especially appreciate?: A3: The chromatic harmonica is a very unique instrument in that it has a voice-like quality. It can do things that no other instrument can express or play. As an instrument, it can fit into any musical setting yet there is still very little that has been explored with it. So there is a lot to be done and discovered.

Q4. In your many experiences of touring the world with well known artists and recording with those artists, …: ・Tell us about one or some experience that impressed you particularly.
A4-1: I'm constantly impressed by their ability to create a world each night that is really inclusive of everybody on the bandstand as well as the audience...that's what I call magic...

・What do you do to make them successful?; A4-2: I think my ability to adapt to any situation, to truly serve the music in any style of music while still remaining strongly unique is one of the main reasons that I get so many calls and I keep on working.

Q5. Now, tell us about your new signature models.: ・What are they like?
A5-1: They are the perfect instruments for me...both were made exactly the way I wanted them to sound.

・Tell us about the differences and the features of the two models with the wooden and metallic cover.
A5-2: The wooden cover has a more mellow sound. It has a darker sound that is perfect for certain ballads and for music with a more laid-back feel...
The metallic cover has more powerful and aggressive sound that is a bit louder and brighter...

・What sort of music genre does each model fit well?
A5-3: Neither one is set for a particular style or genre of music, it all depends on the type of sound that you what you are looking for and the intensity and volume. Usually when I play in a jazz band, and especially if there is a vocalist, then I would use the wooden cover and if I play in a pop, rock or funk band the sound is much louder so I would use the metallic cover.

Q6. You always please us with new sounds and styles in your performance - what brings you those ideas?: ・What do you feel inspires your performance?
I listen to a lot of music from different parts of the world. I always feel inspired by the new sounds that I discover...I also hate to always do the same things, to keep repeating myself, so I try to find new things and new sounds to play on my instruments...

What do you feel inspires your performances?
When I play I try to be perfectly in the moment without any judgment, I just accept any sound, note, chord, color...and try to see if I can improve the canvas by adding something to it...my whole notion of music making is totally linked to a spiritual life to me which is very personal...

Q7. Tell us about your impression of the SUZUKI harmonicas and engineers through your experience of developing the new model?: To answer this question I would like to tell a story: I first met the SUZUKI team while I was on tour in Japan with the Pat Metheny Group and they invited me to their headquarters in Hamamatsu. While there, they gave me a few harmonicas to try and asked me to give them my opinion, which I did. I told them what was good and what needed to be improved. That same night, I performed a concert with a SUZUKI model. Right after the performance, we met again and I gave them more advice on how to improve the instrument. The next day someone knocked on my door, it was a package from SUZUKI with new harmonicas completely retouched with all the modifications and all my specifications ...what could I say...that was the start of a long relationship... The thing that I really love about SUZUKI is that from the start they were eager to hear my comments on their instruments and whenever I would give them some advice to help improve the quality of their harmonicas they would always listen to my recommendations. So much so that latter it was decided that we would design two new models made exactly to my liking. Both of which became my signature models. It took us about 3 years to get the final product and I'm happy to say that those are the best chromatic harmonicas that I have played. They are neither too heavy nor too light, so they feel really good in my hands. They have the round mouthpiece for more comfort. The reed-plates and the reeds are exactly designed to respond and sound EXACTLY the way I want. Both are cross-tuned for a bigger sound. Plus the SUZUKI reeds are known to be long lasting. Here is another story that I hope will convince you of the quality of the product: Just before I left to go on tour with Herbie Hancock, I received 2 prototypes that are exactly the same as my signature model, for me to see if now we could finally agree to release my signature model. Anybody who knows my playing is aware of how hard I play on my instruments in concerts...usually my instruments last about 3 weeks before needing some major retuning. I toured for 3 months playing from 4 to 6 shows a week and used only one instrument that was still in tune at the end of the tour...I was totally blown away...I had never seen anything like that before.. The reason it took 3 years to design those instruments is because we wouldn't settle for anything else than perfection. The engineers never stopped working on these models until we could mutually agree that we had accomplished something really good for the harmonica community. To my knowledge SUZUKI is by far the best harmonica manufacturer and those two signature models are my favorite to play.

Q8. In closing, please give your message to Grégoire fans and chromatic harmonica players all over the world.: A8: I think anybody who will try these instruments is going to be happily surprised. I'm really proud of my signature harmonicas. They cover all my musical needs, so I absolutely have no handicap but instead I have a lot more advantages to perform to the best of my abilities every time. I believe that you will too.

Thank you so much, Grégoire! We wish your continued success and look forward to your further outstanding performances!