Album Notes

"Métissage" (French for "crossbreeding" or "miscegenation") is Moncef Genoud's 11th studio album as a leader. It was recorded in Switzerland with his Swiss trio comprised of long-time friends Antoine Ogay (bass) and Philippe Staehli (drums). A genuine crossing of various moods, styles, and even instrumentations, the record features a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise," a singular arrangement in 11/4 of Miles Davis' "Blue In Green," on which a ubiquitous Moncef plays the piano, drums, and Minimoog parts (!!), as well as other surprising tunes, intertwined with his own melancholic compositions ("Métissage," "Chermignon"). The album closes with "Diabaram," the famed Youssou N'Dour/Ryuichi Sakamoto collaboration, recorded in Senegal and arranged by Moncef for the musicians of the acclaimed road movie "Return to Gorée" (N'Dour, Grégoire Maret, Idris Muhammad, and James Cammack). The title track, "Métissage," has inspired award-winning Los Angeles-based, Swiss director Reto Caduff to create a music video that accompanies the album release.