@ Iceman: These folks are from France. The harp player/ bass player from Paris is playing in 2nd position on a G-harp. Caroline Bugala is a concert / quartet violinist from Lyon France. Her second musical passion is jazz. Here's his story:
«Alexandre Thollon may be THE harmonica player of the beginning of this millenium…» (Le Kiosque) Eminently acknowledged by his peers (he has won several international prizes at world harmonica festivals in Trossingen (Germany) and the Asia Pacific harmonica festival in Atsugi (Japan)), Thollon uses harmonica beyond the classical paths and transcends his instrument beyond bluesmen’s heritage and Toots Thielemans’ influence. Anyway, he is not only influenced by harmonicists and, if he acknowledges and deeply respects his predecessors and his peers, Alexandre Thollon claims Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and, maybe more surprising, Pablo Casal’s heritage. His harmonica sings as a cello, cries as a saxophone or a slave in a field of cotton. «Plain, effective and straight, Thollon gives everything! His choruses shows it. » (Citizen Jazz)
Here's her story: Born in 1984, Caroline Bugala felt passionate about violin from an ealry age. In 1994, she won the National classical music contest in Lyon, with honor distinction. She continued her violin classical studies in the National Conservatory of Lyon ( France), where she graduated with a "médaille d'or" (gold medal) at the age of 17.
From 2003 to 2005, studying Jazz-violin with Didier Lockwood. Her enthusiasm for discovery always brings her to new experiments and new meetings ( Stephane Wrembel, Romane, Stochelo Rosenberg, Franck Catalano, Pierre Perret, Juan DeLerida, Peter Marsh, Roby Lakatos, Gilles Apap, Maxim Vengerov, Caroline Casadesus, ...)
