MIKE
It cannot be said enough that any music is like the person who writes it or creates it. It feeds on the environment, feelings, traditions and life.It cannot be said enough that any music is like the person who writes it or creates it. It feeds on the environment, feelings, traditions and life.Mike Clinton’s music is all that.
Mike comes from a musical family. His father Jean-Yves Messan, a bass player of Gabonese origin and his mother Esther Clinton-Célini, a Guadeloupean singer and dancer, met during one of Alan Chelly’s tours(1). At a very young age, Mike gains knowledge of music. He remembers showing a talent for music. « When I was 4, I could find melodies. On Mum’s side, there are many musicians : my uncle Gabriel Clinton was a jazz guitarist, my uncle Christian was a bass player as well. As my mother and my grand-mother, they used to sing in a choir. I was surrounded by music instruments and vinyls. My grandmother owned a huge property where all our family gathered » This is how he will quite naturally get interested in the piano even if football meant a lot to him. « When I settled in Guadeloupe where I went to secondary school in Lamentin, I broke my arm during a football training. As I had to do physiotherapy, my grandma, who was a physiotherapist, advised me to take up the guitar to reinforce my arm. I borrowed the bass of a local friend, and I started to learn by listening to Sixun and by watching all live concerts. I developped a taste for it and with my friend Jean-Luc Arstand, we composed our own music. My uncle used to teach us a few things. I got hooked and I adopted the bass. »
Musically, the young artist feels very close to Marcus Miller, Michel Alibo, Pino Palladino, Etienne M’Bappé, Guy N’Sangué, Richard Bona, among others.
The young Mike is fully aware he needs improving to pull himself up to the level of his idols. He swiflty understands that only hard work will enable him to achieve his aims.
« I flew back to Paris and I registered at Saint-Denis music academy. I wanted to learn music theory and harmony » He reproduces and creates bass lines while listening to Paco Séry’s rythms, and also explores Haitian, African and West-Indian music such as Gwoka, Zouk, Chouval Bwa. He will also explore african-American music like Soul, Rythm’n Blues, and Jazz of course.
Back to Saint-Denis a few years later, Mike joined the music world. Fred Labiche, a music agent and manager was looking for a bass player to form a band. So, on the recommendation of Michel Alibo, Fred decided to audition Mike. This is how Mike joined C’Kans, with singers and musicians like Thierry Marthely, Marc Chery, Béatrice Poulot, Patrick Boston, Dominique Belleri, Lawrence Claïs…He very quickly gets involved in tours in the Caribean and he makes a name for himself. « We played with Jean-Philippe Marthély, Thierry Vaton, Patrick St-Eloi, Jean-Luc Guanel, Marie-Céline Chroné… I was just nineteen. C’Kans released an album in 1994. This is how I set a foot in the music world. It allowed us to go on tour in the West Indies. Afterwards, I was contacted by Ronald Rubinel, Jean-Luc Alger… Then, Edith Lefel hired me on her tour in 1996 and I was given the opportunity to perform at l’Olympia…It all started from there. I also played with Tanya Saint-Val, Tony Chasseur and many other artists of the Afro-Caribean diaspora ».
As Paris is the meeting point of African music, Mike understands that it is the place to be, to be confronted to the rythms of his ancestors. He becomes acquainted with many musicians and crosses path with Malian singer Salif Keita. Mike tells us an anecdote about their encounter : « Salif was looking for a bass player, so his director advised him to meet me. Salif already knew my father’s work. At that time, I was playing the bass on Djeli Moussa Kouyaté’s album, who also turned out to be Salif’s guitarist. As I was in the middle of a recording session, I saw someone from behind, but I didn’t really pay attention because I was focused on playing, till I realized who it was…Salif Keita himself. I was surprised to see him there. We talked. He came back the day after, we had lunch together and we talked again. I was listening to him. Then, he asked me : « Son, what are your plans for this year ? » I started to think. He repeated : « What are your plans for the next two years ? I would like you to go on tour with me ». It was my first major tour whose conductor was Mino Cinélu. Then Roger Biwandu, a bass player and friend joined the team. Consequently, I toured with Salif Keita from 2005 to 2009 ». That is how the young bassist will grow up by the side of one of Africa’s greatest singers. Mike also emphasises the fact that he has learnt a lot of things about Malian and African music.
The African and West-Indian conceptions of music are fully part of Mike Clinton’s DNA. He fully recognizes this double heritage. « These two parts, African and West Indian match so well that they have become my musical signature, which is identifiable when people hear me. This is what is inside of me ».
Fortifed by his experience, Mike Clinton collaborates with many artists as a sideman : Saïan Supa Crew, Raul Midon, The Nubians, Kassav, Toups Bebey, Féfé, Delasoul, « M » Mathieu Chedid (Lamomali), Vianney, Gaëtan Roussel among others.
Today Mike writes his first and very personal solo album Koleksyon, produced by Sidney Regal with Black Stamp Music. « I wanted to work spontaneously. I often have brainstormings with the producer, Sidney Regal, who is also a great music lover. This first project tells about the Caribean and Africa. The goal of our bainstorming sessions is to define who we want to work with, and how to develop the tracks which bring these two worlds together. My goal is to mix African, Caribean, French and even English-speaking artists. I have thought of artists who helped me grow and saw me evolve, and I created music which mixes African rythms with the codes of West-Indian music and pop music. I have invited Caribean icons like Dédé St Prix, Tanya St Val, Tony Chasseur… but I also want to invite artists from different musical backgrounds » Thus, Creole mixes with African, French and English languages. « I would like this wonderful mixing to give people the desire to travel, and especially to bridge gaps between cultures »
Samuel Nja Kwa
(1)Allan Chelly is a Caribean Rythm and Blues singer
MIKE CLINTON
It cannot be said enough that any music is like the person who writes it or creates it. It feeds on the environment, feelings, traditions and life.It cannot be said enough that any music is like the person who writes it or creates it. It feeds on the environment, feelings, traditions and life.Mike Clinton’s music is all that.
Mike comes from a musical family. His father Jean-Yves Messan, a bass player of Gabonese origin and his mother Esther Clinton-Célini, a Guadeloupean singer and dancer, met during one of Alan Chelly’s tours(1). At a very young age, Mike gains knowledge of music. He remembers showing a talent for music. « When I was 4, I could find melodies. On Mum’s side, there are many musicians : my uncle Gabriel Clinton was a jazz guitarist, my uncle Christian was a bass player as well. As my mother and my grand-mother, they used to sing in a choir. I was surrounded by music instruments and vinyls. My grandmother owned a huge property where all our family gathered » This is how he will quite naturally get interested in the piano even if football meant a lot to him. « When I settled in Guadeloupe where I went to secondary school in Lamentin, I broke my arm during a football training. As I had to do physiotherapy, my grandma, who was a physiotherapist, advised me to take up the guitar to reinforce my arm. I borrowed the bass of a local friend, and I started to learn by listening to Sixun and by watching all live concerts. I developped a taste for it and with my friend Jean-Luc Arstand, we composed our own music. My uncle used to teach us a few things. I got hooked and I adopted the bass. »
Musically, the young artist feels very close to Marcus Miller, Michel Alibo, Pino Palladino, Etienne M’Bappé, Guy N’Sangué, Richard Bona, among others.
The young Mike is fully aware he needs improving to pull himself up to the level of his idols. He swiflty understands that only hard work will enable him to achieve his aims.
« I flew back to Paris and I registered at Saint-Denis music academy. I wanted to learn music theory and harmony » He reproduces and creates bass lines while listening to Paco Séry’s rythms, and also explores Haitian, African and West-Indian music such as Gwoka, Zouk, Chouval Bwa. He will also explore african-American music like Soul, Rythm’n Blues, and Jazz of course.
Back to Saint-Denis a few years later, Mike joined the music world. Fred Labiche, a music agent and manager was looking for a bass player to form a band. So, on the recommendation of Michel Alibo, Fred decided to audition Mike. This is how Mike joined C’Kans, with singers and musicians like Thierry Marthely, Marc Chery, Béatrice Poulot, Patrick Boston, Dominique Belleri, Lawrence Claïs…He very quickly gets involved in tours in the Caribean and he makes a name for himself. « We played with Jean-Philippe Marthély, Thierry Vaton, Patrick St-Eloi, Jean-Luc Guanel, Marie-Céline Chroné… I was just nineteen. C’Kans released an album in 1994. This is how I set a foot in the music world. It allowed us to go on tour in the West Indies. Afterwards, I was contacted by Ronald Rubinel, Jean-Luc Alger… Then, Edith Lefel hired me on her tour in 1996 and I was given the opportunity to perform at l’Olympia…It all started from there. I also played with Tanya Saint-Val, Tony Chasseur and many other artists of the Afro-Caribean diaspora ».
As Paris is the meeting point of African music, Mike understands that it is the place to be, to be confronted to the rythms of his ancestors. He becomes acquainted with many musicians and crosses path with Malian singer Salif Keita. Mike tells us an anecdote about their encounter : « Salif was looking for a bass player, so his director advised him to meet me. Salif already knew my father’s work. At that time, I was playing the bass on Djeli Moussa Kouyaté’s album, who also turned out to be Salif’s guitarist. As I was in the middle of a recording session, I saw someone from behind, but I didn’t really pay attention because I was focused on playing, till I realized who it was…Salif Keita himself. I was surprised to see him there. We talked. He came back the day after, we had lunch together and we talked again. I was listening to him. Then, he asked me : « Son, what are your plans for this year ? » I started to think. He repeated : « What are your plans for the next two years ? I would like you to go on tour with me ». It was my first major tour whose conductor was Mino Cinélu. Then Roger Biwandu, a bass player and friend joined the team. Consequently, I toured with Salif Keita from 2005 to 2009 ». That is how the young bassist will grow up by the side of one of Africa’s greatest singers. Mike also emphasises the fact that he has learnt a lot of things about Malian and African music.
The African and West-Indian conceptions of music are fully part of Mike Clinton’s DNA. He fully recognizes this double heritage. « These two parts, African and West Indian match so well that they have become my musical signature, which is identifiable when people hear me. This is what is inside of me ».
Fortifed by his experience, Mike Clinton collaborates with many artists as a sideman : Saïan Supa Crew, Raul Midon, The Nubians, Kassav, Toups Bebey, Féfé, Delasoul, « M » Mathieu Chedid (Lamomali), Vianney, Gaëtan Roussel among others.
Today Mike writes his first and very personal solo album Koleksyon, produced by Sidney Regal with Black Stamp Music. « I wanted to work spontaneously. I often have brainstormings with the producer, Sidney Regal, who is also a great music lover. This first project tells about the Caribean and Africa. The goal of our bainstorming sessions is to define who we want to work with, and how to develop the tracks which bring these two worlds together. My goal is to mix African, Caribean, French and even English-speaking artists. I have thought of artists who helped me grow and saw me evolve, and I created music which mixes African rythms with the codes of West-Indian music and pop music. I have invited Caribean icons like Dédé St Prix, Tanya St Val, Tony Chasseur… but I also want to invite artists from different musical backgrounds » Thus, Creole mixes with African, French and English languages. « I would like this wonderful mixing to give people the desire to travel, and especially to bridge gaps between cultures »
Samuel Nja Kwa
(1)Allan Chelly is a Caribean Rythm and Blues singer