Explorers Alexis Valet

• 1Casual Polyglot03:10
• 2Plaza de la Alfalfa05:13
• 3L'Ile aux fleurs06:28
• 4Any Sunday With Her07:03
• 5Dixie's Dilemma05:07
• 6Voyager 102:49
• 7Explorers04:53
• 8Fall04:58
• 9Dr. Jackle05:51
• 10Hats and Cards06:42
• 11What's Next04:54
• Total Runtime57:08

Info for Explorers

Asserting himself as an exciting voice among those who are bringing vibraphone back to the front of the stage, Alexis Valet presents a captivating album with a shifting format exploring multiple directions, marked by the participation of two major European figures, pianist Bojan Z and saxophonist Ben Van Gelder. True to its title, "Explorers" gives us an idea of what contemporary jazz inspires the most when it’s driven by a sense of invention and the magic of interplay.

Alexis Valet is one of the new faces of the French jazz scene, an accomplished Sideman (Xavier Belin Quartet, Shauli Einav Quintet, Joachim Govin Sextet) and also a leader. All freshly recorded at the studio of Meudon, his first album will be released in autumn 2019, with guests Magic Malik, Romain Pilon and Hermon Mehari. His compositions draw their inspiration in music as diverse as contemporary jazz, hip hop, free jazz or electro, while keeping a foot in the tradition of jazz.

Alexis Valet, vibraphone
Lucca Fattorini, double bass
Antoine Paganotti, drums
Ben van Gelder, alto saxophone (tracks 4, 7, 9, 10, 11)
Bojan Z, piano (tracks 3, 7, 8, 10, 11)

Alexis Valet
Originally from Bordeaux, where he graduated in 2015, Alexis Valet is a very active vibraphonist on the European scene.

Very quickly a sideman in numerous projects (Francesco Ciniglio "Locomotiv", Xavier Belin "Pitakpi", Olga Amelchenko Quintet, etc...), he is releasing his first record in 2019 on the Déluge collective label. Highly praised by the critics (Révélation JazzMag), the music of his quintet is rooted in contemporary New York jazz. His album features guest appearances by leading figures on the French scene, including Magic Malik and Romain Pilon.

Alexis has appeared on a number of records, including Francesco Ciniglio's "Locomotiv Suite", Lieutenant Nicholson & Djeudjodja's "Aimez ces airs", Xavier Belin Quartet's "Pitakpi", Pierre Marcus's "Bulgarian Time" and Pierre Do Sameiro's "King of Panda, Sacrement". He has shared the stage with Joe Sanders, Rick Margitza, Michel Alibo, Ray Colom, Matt Chalk, Tony Tixier, Francesco Ciniglio and Hermon Mehari,

In 2020, he set up his trio with Luca Fattorini & Antoine Paganotti. It was with this line-up, enhanced by guests Ben Van Gelder & Bojan Z, that he recorded his second album in January 2021, released in November of the same year on the prestigious Jazz&People label. Jazzmag gives it four stars: "Explorers confirms that Alexis Valet is one of those to be reckoned with".

Alexis's playing is original and committed, and he doesn't hesitate to sacrifice notes to make the silence sound, thus bringing the rhythm to the fore. Carefully choosing the notes he plays, he also likes to let go and launch into lyrical flights of fancy. His highly embossed playing is ultimately unpredictable - for him systematism is the enemy of improvisation - and his solos "testify to a refined harmonic taste and remarkable maturity" (Jazz Magazine).

Booklet for Explorers