Richard Bonnet studied guitar as an autodidact. Musician based in Paris, Richard has worked with musicians such as Hasse Poulsen, Régis Huby, Guillaume Roy, Tom Abbs , Federico Ughi . It is instiguateur several projects: Quartet with Tony Malaby (sax ), Tom Rainey ( batt ) and Antonin Rayon ( Hammond ) (Warrior - Line 50) , a duet with Tony Malaby ( haptein - host margin 04) Duo Danish guitarist Hasse Poulsen ( Colors in water and steel - Host margin 10) concert film with guitarist Pierre Durand, solo project (New York solo session), Got To This Feeling of Blue Bear with singer and drummer caroline Faber Eric Dambrin . Holder status jazz degree, Richard divides his time between teaching guitar and his musical projects .
What do you remember about your first guitar?
I just remember it was a bass, not a guitar!
Why do you need music? Can we live without music?
I need music to feel good, music is life, music helps me to express who I am, what I feel ...
I don't know if I can live without music ... I’ve never tried, however I know it would be difficult to livewithout a guitar.
Hasse poulsen / guitar, Richard Bonnet / fretless guitar, Tampon nomade - Paris - October 27 2013
Which is the main pleasure of the guitar?
A close and vibrating instrument.
Petit Théatre Vaux le Pénil 16/11/12. Caroline Faber/ chant. Eric Dambrin/ batterie. Richard Bonnet/ guitare.
Which work of your own are you most proud of, and why?
Maybe my last work with my quartet, It was a big challenge to compose for this band, just a 3 hour rehearsal before the recording, but with this band you can't go wrong!
Where are your roots? What are your influences?
Big question! I think my roots are the blues, when I play I always feel the blues. My influences are many, Robert Johnson, Thelonius Monk, Steve Reich, contemporary music ....the list is too long!
How many guitars do you have? Select only one and tell me why.
I have 10 guitars, but each are very specific, Oud, 12 string, fretless, resonator, banjo, guitalele, lapsteel, classical, folk and my favorite, the KOPO Pearl, an electric 7 string guitar made by Frédéric Pons.
This guitar is the perfect mix of all the guitars I had before, the 7 stringhas opened a new world to me, this guitar can sound very electric but very acoustic too, thanks to the wooden bridge and piezo!
Richard Bonnet/ Hasse Poulsen/ Pierre Durand - Guitare ,Regis Huby - Violon, Concert à la Java 21/01/13
Define the sound you're still looking for, or the sound you'd like to hear.
The Valley of Death (california), warm, Beautiful and sometime scary.
How would you define the present time in musical terms?
ALTERED
What do you dream about?
My dream has come true with my last recording, "Warrior", with Tony Malaby (sax), Antonin Rayon (Hammond organ) and Tom Rainey (drums), now I want to play more ... and more, and find a new dream.
A valuable advice that someone has gifted to you in the past?
Long time ago, someone told me: go straight ... you will get somewhere.
La fille de l'eau (Jean Renoir). Musique improvisée par Richard Bonnet et Pierre Durand (guitare).
What' gear do you use?
My amp is a Vox AC30.
Electro-harmonix Memory man
Electro-harmonix Pulsar
Electro-harmonix Freeze
Electro-harmonix Ring things
TC electronic Hall of fame
Boss super octave OC3
MI effects GI fuzz
Mojo hand Colossus
Hernie ball Volume
I use many guitar toys, spider capo, bottleneck, stick, fan, bow, Ebow, mini cymbals, remote control, and many others things I can put on the strings.
Signal me one musical work which has provoked a change in your music.
BLUES ....the revelation! And teaching.
What’s your latest project about?
I just released 2 CDs, "Colors in Water and Steel" (futuramarge.free.fr)a duo with Danish guitarist Hasse Poulsen, a total improv duo, always a blast to play together. And "Warrior" (futuramarge.free.fr), my French/ American quartet with Tony Malaby, Antonin Rayon and Tom Rainey, I composed all the songs for these projects, a great band, music is so easy with these amazing musicians, please note that we will be available for concerts from February 9 to 22, 2015.
I also work on silent movies with French guitarist Pierre Durand, and a trio "Got to Bear this Feeling of Blue", with singer Caroline Faber and Eric Dambrin (drums).
