Kohann

Behind Kohann (translate the brown owl) hides three musicians from Lorient who have matured their inspiration for years. In 1999, they started off this new adventure... Michele Gaurin, Kohann's delightful voice, performed at a drama school as a teenager before turning, three years later to music, and making her first stage appearance at age seventeen. Michele was then on frequently demanded as a chorus-singer and took part in the recordings of albums with various artists. The Breton language progressively became for her the most beautiful means of expression, always in harmony with her suave and mellow voice.

Sylvère Morisson is a natural born musician. First scales on the piano at seven, starts playing the guitar four years later, on stage for the first time at fourteen, recording his first album at age seventeen, he plays with Alan Stivell, on both the keyboards and the acoustic guitar in 1987 and 1988; in 1988 they performed at the Olympia venue in Paris, followed by a European tour and by two US tours (as a duet and then a trio). As a composer and a producer, he was involved in several Breton oriented productions. Within Kohann, Sylvère's keyboard sounds like no other, expression of his heart and soul.

Last but not least, David Bellec, the third member of Kohann plays bass and electric guitars on Milbed. With great ease he juggles between the Jazz bass and the Telecaster guitar throughout the album.

The first musical encounter between Michele, David and Sylvère goes back to 1987. Twelve years later, the evidence of this amazing collaboration can be seen in the eleven titles of Mil Bed.

Michèle, David and Sylvère first encountered each other back in 1987. A feeling of intense mutual understanding was to gradually evolve between these three musical souls and twelve years later, Mil Bed was released, opening the door to the world of Kohann. With its predilection for electronic ambiance as the perfect backdrop to ethereal vocals, the captivating atmosphere of this astonishing and innovative album defined the key lines of the Kohann universe and allowed us to glimpse a glowing future.

Don, the new album, lifts the veil even further than it’s predecessor A Thousand Worlds (Mil Bed) and confirms the authenticity of the group. Combining a keen sense of melody and the potency of their distinctive electronic sound with their startlingly fresh sense of imagination and the intriguing beauty of the Breton language, which Michèle’s voice brings to life more than ever, the group reveal more about their inner selves and bear their souls to the listener.

The word don means deep in Breton. The album is first and foremost the fruit of a threefold ripening, the passage of two whole years and more than a hundred live appearances following the release of Mil Bed. To make this album Michèle, David and Sylvère have poured in much of themselves, their emotions, their fears and their certainties, their anger and their compassion, both as a single entity and individually, digging deep in order to share this gift honestly and open their hearts to others.

Kohann have willingly and liberally opened their hearts to us. Don is a testimony to their continued inspiration which will be further fired by live performance. Joined on stage by drummer Cédric Broquaire, Kohann invite us to plunge further into this world whose second chapter is told by Don.

[Quelle: Website www.french-music.org - musics from France, 2002]