ARTISTIC TEAM

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Guillaume Orti

Guillaume Orti started playing the saxophone at the age of eleven, studied both jazz and classical music at the Regional Conservatory of Avignon and attended various instrumental workshops. One workshop in particular had a decisive impact on his musical development: a seminar at the Banff Center of Fine Arts (Canada) under the direction of Steve Coleman. Settled in Paris in 1989, he co-founded the band Kartet (with pianist Benoît Delbecq and bassist Hubert Dupont), and the collectives of musicians Hask and Mercoledi & Co. In no time these ensembles became the leading voices in the field of improvised music.
Nowadays Guillaume Orti is part of the creative groups Kartet, Mâäk, Octurn, Benzine, Reverse and The Progressive Patriots. He forms a duet with saxophonist Stéphane Payen as well as a trio with Andy Amler on piano/organ and Ballaké Sissolo on kora. As a sideman he played with MegaOctet, Thôt, Print and Aka Moon and many others.

Lately he participated to two project supported by the Fondation Royaumont : 'Du Griot au Slammeur' and 'Du Slam à l’Atlas', that gathered slammers, musicians, singers and dancers from Mali, Marocco and France. For the year 2012, he is artistic director of the European Saxophone Ensemble .