Irène Jacob and Francis Jacob are siblings that grew up together and had music in their hearts from an early age. Jazz, film and philosophy have always interested the French pair and one day they decided to make music together in their grandmother’s music room. They have developed their unique sound into a finely tuned record entitled, Je Sais Nager, which translates in English to “I Know How to Swim.” The album is due to be released May 8th on Sunnyside Records.
Irène Jacob is a renowned actress who has been in many films, including The Double Life of Véronique by K. Kieslowski, which won her “Best Actress” at Cannes Film Festival in 1991. She has worked with many directors, including Antonioni, Win Wenders, Paul Auster, Angelopoulos, Louis Malle, and more. She is currently starring in Johnathan Nossiter’s Rio Sex Comedy alongside Charlotte Rampling. Irène has recorded with the National Jazz Orchestra, French star Vincent Delerm, Brazil’s wonder kid Ricardo Tete, to name a few.
Francis Jacob is a nomadic musician, traveling from France to Brazil, from Africa to Brooklyn, where he settled in 1991. He composes, plays and records for a wide array of West African stars from Senegal, Mali, Guinea or Togo. Combining his knowledge of roots music with his own jazz style, he finds himself in the middle of the world jazz movement. His 2007 album, Side-By-Side, earned him worldwide praise as he continues to research and compose music full of global influences.
Their hushed, understated music is accented by Brazilian and Senegalese beats, steel and water drums, and a certain French flair for worldly pop. They will celebrate the release of Je Sais Nager with a performance on May 3rd at Joe’s Pub in NYC with Senegalese bassist Mamadou Ba and Afro-Peruvian legend Pichio. Watch the video for the title track, “Je Sais Nager,” below and keep your eyes peeled for Irène Jacob & Francis Jacob’s album at your local record store.
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