Moutin Reunion Quartet

When Parisian natives and twin brothers Louis (drums) and François Moutin (upright bass) came up with the name Moutin Reunion Quartet, it was a bit of a joke. The word "reunion" speaks to the fact the brothers were forming a band some 30 years after they first played together, at the age of five. The two were influenced by their parents' large, mostly jazz record collection. Louis started on piano and François on guitar, but both switched to their current instruments by the age of 20. Louis left college with a master's degree in mathematics, François with a doctorate in physics, but within three years of graduation both had ditched their more traditional careers to try their luck in the world of jazz. Louis started with Trio Machado and later became a sideman to John Abercrombie, Markus Stockhausen, Albert Mangelsdorff, and Michel Legrand. François kicked off his career with the Martial Solal Trio and played with Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans, and Archie Shepp while he was still in Paris. In late 1997, François moved to New York City and kept busy playing with Frank Wess, Monty Alexander, Simon Shaheen, and many others. Despite being on two different continents, the twins formed the Moutin Reunion Quartet in 1999, adding two French musicians. Pianist and former Mangelsdorff sideman Baptiste Trotignon and saxophonist and Martial Solal alumnus Sylvain Beuf accompanied the brothers on their 2002 debut, Power Tree. Beuf left the band and was replaced with former Miles Davis saxophonist and New York City resident Rick Margitza. The new lineup released Red Moon at the beginning of 2004.
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