Linley Marthe MARTHE’SWORLD LE MONDE SELON MARTHE An out-of-this-world musician, born in Mauritius and become a true citizen of the world thanks to his outstanding playing; a generous ogre in a constant battle against uniformity. Meeting in Paris with bass player Linley Marthe. Un musicien hors norme, né à Maurice et devenu passager du monde grâce à son jeu exceptionnel. Un ogre généreux qui, toujours, tord le cou à l’uniformité. Rencontre avec le bassiste Linley Marthe. BY LISA DUCASSE PHOTOGRAPHS CLAUDE WEBER In the articles from jazz magazines about him, he is referred to as “an alien”, “a monster”, a “phenomenon”, “mesmerizing”. When asked if he identifies with these adjectives, Linley Marthe, 49, bursts into a hearty, throaty laugh, before answering that the nickname that befits himmost is the one he used to have as a kid and which his bandmates recently pegged himwith: predator. A silence follows this, and then, once more, the sound of his sincere laugh fills the room. It’s true that there’s a lot in him to be intimidated by: his extraordinary career, his risky and unique technique, the admiration given himby the best in his field – musicians like Andy Emler, Chris Potter, D-Funk, and the great Joe Zawinul – who coveted him for their bands over the years. Linley Marthe is a profoundly energetic man, magnetic, always on the lookout for the next challenge, someone who will not hesitate to push his fellow musicians on stage, to assert the physicality of the music that is beingmade, and in so doing, magnify the pleasure of simply playing. With this in mind, you might expect the man to have rough, maybe slightly abrasive edges – but Linley Marthe welcomed us warmly in his Paris home, a home that he had just rejoined after five months of uninterrupted touring with three different bands, a home where an instrument is never far from reach, with his contagious laughter, generosity, and his love for music acting as a chord harmonizing with his every word. MUSIC AS PASSPORT He speaks of the journey that brought him here in simple terms: the first self-taught tunes in Tranquebar, Mauritius, the inspiration he got from the musical influences that came in contact with the island or were born there thanks to the various cultures existing in its midst, the first important encounters as he started playing, aged 14, in the coastal hotels… Then, as a result of these, the first opportunities opening up abroad, and the first departure for France, under the tutelage of saxophonist Ernest Wiehé – a tour at the end of which Linley made the decision not to go back home. This is a perfect example of him applying the risk-taking he advocates for in music to his own life. It was not, however, risk-taking for the sake of it, but a leap of faith to keep building, to keep going further, with a precise goal in mind. It is indeed in France, in Paris to be precise, that Linley’s career will take off and that he’ll find the means to fully develop his artistic potential, playingwith the best jazzmen in the city. Later still in the bassist’s life came another epoch, still unfolding today: that of travels. With music as his passport, Linley Marthe has been all over the world – it’s easier to ask him to list the countries he hasn’t visited yet than those inwhichhehas already been invited to play. This lifestyle not only suits him, it has become an integral part of who he is. Indeed, he explains that it would be impossible for him today to imagine his life without movement, a movement that has come to shape him. Even if he doesn’t play there regularly, Mauritius remains a home, the first of many that he managed to build for himself through music and thanks to it. The next challenge that Linley Marthe wishes to tackle is that of one day releasing an album of his own compositions. These songs will reflect his highly colourful personality, journey and influences: an echo between song and plumage, for this constantly migrating bird and highly-skilled cat.
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