Jean-Pierre Rasle and The Dancing Drones

Cornemusiques (The Piper's Magical Story)

Experience 850 years of authentic wild French bagpipe in less than 90 minutes! A special live performance of the programme commissioned by BBC Radio 3, and premiered at London's South Bank Centre, featuring musicians, singers and storytellers in a musical journey from 1140 to 2000:

• Original music for bagpipes by trouvères and troubadours, Guillaume de Machaut, Hotteterre and Vivaldi
  
• Songs of the Auvergne and bourrées from Berry, as played for Chopin or by Django Rheinhart
  
• New compositions and outrageous contemporary readings from Rabelais to George Sand

Featuring up to 10 different bagpipes with pipe organ, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, recorders, harpsichord, shepherd's oboes, mandocello, clarinet, banjo, saxophone, percussion or keyboards, Cornemusiques is offered as a solo costumed, or three, five or seven piece concert performance, depending upon the size of the venue.
It is suitable for festivals, music clubs and arts centres. The show appeals to both adults and children, and is performed in two forty-five minute halves.
The performer(s) may require PA, spot lighting, projectors, and an aisle with access to the stage.

Jean-Pierre Rasle is at the core of folk-jazz fusion group The Cock & Bull Band, and brings his musical experiences from Central France. He plays the musette Béchonnet, Cornemuse, Cabrette, Border pipes, Rauschpfeife, Dulcian, Crumhorn and Recorders. He is the band's founder member, leading vocalist, and composer of the majority of their tunes.

. He performs with Matthew Spring and Sara Stowe in baroque-folk ensembles Pastorales, Chalemie and Folies Bergères, and with his own contemporary music groups Parallèles and Tractatus.
Jean-Pierre has also toured and recorded with ex-PIL bassist Jah Wobble, as one of his Invaders of the Heart, Deep Space, and English Roots Band outfits, with Ashley Hutchings' Albion Band, and with Gabriel Yacoub.

Jean-Pierre Rasle is also available to run bagpipe or music workshops for adults or children, and has done outstanding work with over 200 students in Milton Keynes recreating a marching band for their celebration of the English Civil War.

Pastorales

People's and Court Music and Dances from England and France

• To the Divine Sounds of the Pipes, Dance Diversely (Mediaeval / Renaissance.) How this most unrythmical of instruments came to be used for dancing is the theme of this programme: troubadours and jugglers took it on their journeys. It also accompanied a Queen's dancing of the Double Brawls as well as lightened the peasants' toil. A feast of sounds from the great pipes of 1140 to the new musette at the court of the French King Henry III.
  
• Voyages d'une Contre-Danse (Renaissance / Baroque.) The performers follow the journeys of popular melodies of the time across the Channel: from Lully to Playford, and from Purcell to Hotteterre and Chédeville, before their return to the village squares of France and England. An exceptional combination of French and English Early and Folk music and instruments in search of the roots of the Country-dance.
  
• The Pastoral Pipes of The Sun King (Baroque.) This programme recreates the sprightly village dances and beautiful chamber music of the Paris court, exploring a little-known repertoire from the reigns of Kings Louis XIV and XV. The exciting sounds of the Royal Bagpipes and Baroque Smallpipes were heard both at outdoor events and intimate salons. Court musicians and noble amateurs created astonishing virtuoso music for the musette and hurdy-gurdy.
  
• Town Pleasure and Painful Plough (Baroque / Folk.) An exploration in music and song of rural life and its courtly counterparts in 17th and 18th century France. Pastoral sonatas vie with the thrilling dance-tunes from Berry and Auvergne that inspired them. The elegant music of Court festivities is coupled with songs of the toil and struggle of the country man. Including pieces not heard for 350 years, researched and restored, this varied programme becomes a real journey back in time.

The Pastorales trio, with an additional violin or gamba player, are also available as Folies Bergères, exploring a little-known area of popular and court music of the 17th and 18th centuries, and presenting a light-hearted view of the musical scene of the time. Already featured on several Radio 3 programmes, they have expanded their repertoire to cover English music of the same period. Their two shows include Fêtes Pour Noël (the alternative Christmas show, a fun-filled special versatile festive programme) and Let Them Eat Cake! (long live the Revolution!), both premiered at London's Purcell Room.
They have released a wonderful CD of the music from these shows: 'Pastorales'. See "Shop" page for availability.

Jean de la Mer

An exciting ensemble exploring newly discovered and written French dance music from the XVIIth Century and beyond. Members of Monsieur Pantin, Sin E and Folies Bergères recreate a lost musical world of extraordinary drone-based sounds.

Monsieur Pantin

specialise in folk and court dances from central France on authentic instruments, with caller when required. Their repertoire spans five centuries, including newly-composed pieces. Specially devised for club and festival events with a continental theme.

Tractatus

A thrilling exploration of Wittgenstein's masterpiece in sounds and images on CD ROM, with Jean-Pierre Rasle's and guest musicians' improvisations, and the computer arts of Simon Poulter. The artist and musician(s) create wild rhythms and unusual melodies over repetitive pattern and obsessive drones, weaving together interactive digital art, minimalism and world music influences. Tractatus was developed with the help of an Arts Council Development Grant and premiered at the Old Library Gallery, Bridport.

• Old Rhythms & New Music From Bagpipes to Computers: Tomorrow's Music and Art Today

Paralleles

Led by Jean-Pierre Rasle on a bewildering array of woodwind instruments, Paralleles take their audience on a unique musical journey bridging the gap between five centuries of instruments in one exceptional concert:

• Contemporary music with French folk-inspired melodies and songs.
• Selection from modern songwriters
• Extended instrumental suites
• Improvisations on Early and traditional music themes