The Tone Poets are a variable group geometrically, in which improvisation based on close listening and acoustical playing prime.
This trio includes for events musicians like Chris Potter on bass clarinet, Jim Black on percussions or Michel Massot on trombone and tuba.
Their repertory is based on Emmanuelle Somer's compositions, which are written specifically for the musicians, leaving them space and expression freedom for improvisation.
This ensemble is unique by its instrumental setting: oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, cello and frame drums are its structure.
Their music finds its roots in Eastern folklore, Indian talas, Renaissance, jazz, contemporary music and collective improvisation.
The Tone Poets recorded their first CD The Apple Tree at New York's Knitting Factory and will be recording Search for Peace back in New York next November, with the Helios Quartet and guests Tom Varner and Peter Epstein.
Emmanuelle SOMER, oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, clarinet, soprano saxophone.
Emmanuelle Somer is born January 5, 1972 in Brussels, with French and Dutch citizenships.
She graduated from the European School, speaking French, English, Dutch and German fluently.
As a teenager, she played piano, recorder, oboe, saxophone and drums.
She studied with Paul Dombrecht at Brussels Koninklijk Conservatorium, where she got degrees in oboe, English horn, solfege and chamber music.
Emmanuelle also studied free improvisation with Fabrizio Cassol (Aka Moon), Michel Massot (Tous Dehors, Rabi Abouh Kalil) and Garret List.
Emmanuelle toured and played in Europe with Michel Massot, Stephane Galland, Kris Defoort, Pierre van Dormael, Claudio Puntin, Francis Lockwood, Patrice Soler...
Emmanuelle decided to cross the Atlantic ocean for discovering jazz in its craddle.
She received a full scholarship that enabled her to enroll at Boston's Berklee College of Music, where she graduated magna cum laude in both composition and improvisation, and learned film scoring techniques.
She enriched her musical experiences there by 300 concerts and 600 studio hours in all styles, and founded the Helios Quartet in 1995, which regularly tours Europe since its creation.
In 1997, Emmanuelle moved to New York, where she performed with Dave Douglas, Dave Gilmore, Chris Potter, Jim Black, Dave Fiuczinsky, Thomas Chapin, Mark Turner, Lindsey Horner among many others, regularly booked at the Knitting Factory and other local clubs.
She also got into clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone playing, singing and modern dancing, and continues composing and preparing new tours.
She recorded the CD's The Apple Tree and Search for Peace at New York's Knitting Factory with the Helios Quartet and the Tone Poets, signing all compositions, and Odyssey with the Somer-Mangen Quartet.
She teaches at Staten Island's Music Conservatory and regularly organises improvisation masterclasses.
Her active groups are the Helios Quartet (Peter McCann, guitar; Daniel Dunlap, fretless bass; Jarrod Cagwin, drums), the Somer-Mangen Quartet (Marc Mangen, piano; Lindsey Horner, double bass and bass clarinet; Jarrod Cagwin, percussion), and the Tone Poets (Jonas Tauber, cello; Jarrod Cagwin, percussion).
Jonas TAUBER, cello.
Born in Winterthur, Switzerland, cellist Jonas Tauber maintains an active career performing chamber music, solo recitals, and improvised music.
He presently lives in New York, where he collaborates with artists of varying musical styles, including composer/saxophonist Daniel Schnyder, reed player Emmanuelle Somer, and composer/percussionist John Hollenbeck.
His own band, "Free Time", features cornet/flugelhorn, reeds, and endangered guitar along with cello.
He appears in recital with pianist Albert Lotto, The New York Piano Trio, and North/South Consonance Ensemble.
He has toured with the Apple Hill Chamber Players and as principal cellist of the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.
He was featured as a soloist with the New Amsterdam and Brooklyn Heights Symphony Orchestras in New York, and under the baton of Boguslaw Dawidow in Poland.
Jonas was twelve when his teacher and friend Lawrence Foster was shot and killed by a car thief in Atlanta. Profoundly shocked by this loss and its injustice, he made a pact with God: he would have to become a cellist to replace him. Eighteen years later, looking for the ideal instrument, Jonas visited a luthier in New York... and found the cello which used to belong to Lawrence... and which was the perfect match! Jonas is fortunate to be able to express himself through this jewel, a Gaspard Lorenzini fecit Piacenza 1758, and a bow by Charles Peccatte.
Jarrod CAGWIN, frame drums, percussion.
Born January 1974, Jarrod received his first drumset at age 3 and by highschool time toured throughout the Midwest with jazz and rock ensembles.
In 1992 he was awarded a scholarship for Berklee.
He graduated Cum Laude in '96, studying with Jamey Haddad, Ian Froman, Giovanni Hidalgo and Joe Galeota Jr.
His honors include participation in the '92 National High school Jazz Ensemble and the Berklee Outstanding Percussion Award in '95 and '96.
Jarrod also specialized himself in Indian tala drumming with Indian master Trichy Sankaran.
In 1996, Jarrod moved to New York, playing with Joe Lovano, Joe Beck, Ali Ryerson, Dave Samuels, Pharoah's Daughter, Erik Friedlander, Paul Simon.
In 1999 he moved to Paris, touring, recording and performing with Rabih Abou-Khalil, Michel Godard, Vincent Courtois, Dominique Pifarély, and recording for Enja.