PIERRE DE BETHMANN QUARTET

#ArtoftheQuartet

The quartet as a complete world, driven by a singular writing style and intense collective practice, two primary ideas for facing up with a smile to a post-pandemic world, its uncertainties, its violence, and despite everything perhaps also its promises.

The story began with the very first moments of new-found freedom after the first lockdown, when Pierre de Bethmann and Antoine Paganotti rediscovered themselves as neighbors on the occasion of multiple duo sessions. It naturally continued with Simon Tailleu, long-standing member of the Medium Ensemble, and David El Malek, long-time partner, whose tenor saxophone playing has now established himself as one of the strongest voices in contemporary European jazz.

With the group thus formed, and after a few initial concerts, first online and then live in Aix-en-Provence (Petit Duc), then in Paris (Sunside) and elsewhere, Aléa reissued the album GO last June, originally released in 2012 on the Plus Loin label, as a prelude to a project once again centered on compositional work for a small combo. Which led the four musicians to studio Ferber (Paris) in February 2023, for a new graceful moment, as two recording days produced two new albums.

A brand new repertoire, made up of more or less expected forms, more or less controllable melodic lines, more or less complex harmonies and rhythms... to be played, again and again. A simple credo for four artists, united by their love of a now century-old culture as much as by their faith in a possible future, together above all.

Perhaps also to mock a little our post-modern fatigue, and continue to believe in shareable music, which would allow to celebrate mystery of existence all the better for its ability to heal a few wounds.

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Spring 2023: reissue of GO, originally released in 2012 by Nocturne / Plus Loin
January 2024: release of CREDO
January 2025: release of AGAPÉ

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Pierre de Bethmann was born in 1965 in Boulogne-Billancourt. He has co-led the Prysm trio (four albums for Blue Note), led the ilium and Medium Ensemble projects (seven albums for Aléa), currently leads this new quartet around original compositions, a trio around standards (five volumes in the form of "Essais" for Aléa), and co-leads the PianoForte project. 

He has won twice the Victoires du Jazz (2024 - French instrumental artist, 2008 - Oui, album of the year), the Grand Prix Jazz de l'Académie Charles Cros (2016 - for Exo, Medium Ensemble Volume 2), the Prix Django Reinhardt (2004 - French Musician of the Year), the Django d'Or (1998 - Prysm, ensemble of the year), and First Prize at the Concours de La Défense (1994). Since 2008, he has taught at the CNSMDP (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris), and has been a Steinway Artist since 2023.

Albums

Agapé
2025, ALEA

Credo
2024, ALEA

Go
2012, ALEA

Upcoming gigs

Videos

P2B4 // En Plus / Victoires du Jazz 2024

P2B 4tet /// Éternel Détour

P2B 4tet /// Greens

P2B 4tet /// Credo Teaser

P2B 4tet /// Credo Pre-Teaser

P2B 4tet /// Go (teaser)

P2B 4tet /// PFH

Previous gigs