The group Bumcello is preparing to set the Nice stage at the 109 on fire this Saturday, November 2. Just days before the concert, Vincent Ségal opens up about his relationship with his partner Cyril Atef, their shared journey, and their memorable memories.
Last February, the group marked their return by releasing a new album, The Party, six years after the release of Everyday. Exceptional musicians, Vincent Ségal and Cyril Atef have formed, for twenty-five years, a distinguished group known for their live performances. When they perform together, these two accomplished artists combine electro, jazz, funk, and world music, allowing a huge part for improvisation. This unique approach makes each of their concerts an ephemeral, elusive, unforgettable event.
Tell us about your meeting and your early collaborations
“It was a very long time ago. In 1995 we played together several times, especially at the Cithéa in Paris. It was a very popular bar where DJs organized parties. Cyril and I suggested doing it as a duo, live. We had some amazing nights!
Vincent, you come from a classical background, and Cyril from a more rock background. How do your backgrounds and respective tastes influence the group?
Cyril was more into punk, but he studied jazz at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. That’s what I love about him: he is extremely cultured and open-minded, despite his crazy appearance. I studied classical music but grew up listening to very varied music.
When we form Bumcello, we recreate fake samples. Cyril uses a lot of percussion. He’s very skilled at making live loops. We don’t use a computer; we don’t reuse anything. We improvise. That’s what makes our concerts unique moments.
You just released your latest project, The Party. Before this one, the last was in 2018, why such a long break?
The only culprit is time. We both had our own projects. On my side, I worked on Les Egarés with Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Peirani, and Émile Parisien. Then came the desire to reunite, we are inseparable with Cyril.
What inspired you for this new album?
Everything came from an idea by Cyril. He asked my son Marin to draw fifteen boards, from which we were inspired to compose the fifteen pieces of the album.
Is there a song that holds a special place in your heart?
Oh, I love them all! I really like Spark Av, it’s a tribute to our dear friend Rémy Kolpa Kopoul. It’s a play on words with Park Avenue, the famous New York avenue, on the board you see Central Park. And Rémy loved champagne, so we put “Spark” referring to the bubbles.
Throughout your career, and even more in this album, we sense the influence of very diverse cultures. Is travel essential to musical creation in your opinion?
Not really. What is essential is to love music and to listen to very different things. I don’t believe, as many claim, that music is a universal language. I think there are as many different languages as there are different types of music. And each of them can speak to us, touch us. I love to travel, but even in my neighborhood, I find a lot of musical diversity.
What other art inspires you to create?
I love literature, especially French literature. I could mention authors like Victor Hugo, Robert Desnos… There’s also Hugo Pratt!
Live performance is very important to you. How do you envision your performance on stage Saturday?
You never know what to expect before a concert. With Cyril, we’ve played in front of large crowds, and in front of much smaller ones, and we love both! We improvise a lot and love interacting with the audience. Our music depends a lot on the venue.
You improvise a lot during your concerts. Do you have memorable improvisation moments in concert?
Recently, I was thinking about a concert we did in Russia for the Fête de la Musique in 2013. It was at the border with Ukraine, a place of suffering today… I remember the joy of those young people who danced wholeheartedly. We have many memories like this. I can also think of concerts in clubs in New York or Montreal.
You’re performing in Nice this Saturday, do you have any particular memories of this city?
We have great memories here. It was special for me to play at the ancient arenas of Cimiez; I used to go there as a child to see great jazzmen.”
Rémi Sauvat
