St. Germain

St. Germain is the stage name of Ludovic Navarre, a French musician from Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. Born in 1973, he works as a French house and nu jazz project whose music combines house, acid jazz, jazz and electronic styles, with related associations to deep house, downtempo, electronica, lounge and jazz.

Early work and aliases

Navarre begins recording in the early 1990s and first works under the name Sub System with friend Guy Rabiller. He also releases EPs under several aliases, including Deepside, LN's, Modus Vivendi, Hexagone, Nuages and Soofle.

Albums and recordings

St. Germain debuts in 1994 on Laurent Garnier's F Communications label. Navarre's first album, Boulevard, is released in July 1995 and sells over 300,000 copies worldwide; it is also described elsewhere as passing one million copies worldwide. The album features trumpeter Pascal Ohse and presents a blend of American R&B and jazz within the French house scene. His United States debut, Tourist, is released in 2000, issued by Blue Note, and sells 300,000 copies in the USA and four million copies worldwide. It expands the same approach with a fuller group of musicians and post-production work.

Collaborators and influences

Navarre cites Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, Miles Davis and Kool & the Gang among his early influences. He remixes artists including Björk, Pierre Henry and the Suburban Knight. His 2015 self-titled album is recorded in his Paris studio with African musicians, including Brazilian percussionist Jorge Bezerra, Malian kora player Mamadou Cherif Soumano, Malian guitarist and n'goni player Guimba Kouyate, and keyboardist Didier Davidas. The album uses traditional Malian instruments such as kora, balafon and ngoni alongside electric guitars, pianos, saxophones and electronic loops.

Later releases and appearances

St. Germain signs with Nonesuch in early 2015. The album released that October is preceded by the single "Real Blues", which sets the voice of Lightnin' Hopkins to drums and percussion. The original sleeve is decorated with a 3D mask by Urban Art creator Gregos. His track "Deep in It" appears on the first Saint-Germain-des-Prés Café compilation, though the project is not associated with that series. "Rose Rouge" appears in the official trailer for Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing. St. Germain is included in the line-up for Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2016.