Martin Meissonnier

Martin Meissonnier is a French journalist, producer, director and composer. Formerly a journalist for Libération, he has made a specialty of discovering new types of music.

Biography

In the 1970s brought numerous jazz musicians to France, such as Don Cherry,^[1] the Art Ensemble of Chicago, John Lee Hooker^[2] and Dizzy Gillespie.He also promoted concerts ^[3] for artists like Nass EL Ghiwane, Franco & OK Jazz, Nana Vasconcelos, Turkish band Oriental WInd,^[4] Han Bennink & Peter Brötmann, Art Blakey,Sun Ra, Chico & Von Freeman, Albert Collins, Lounge Lizards, Defunkt, Old d& New Dreams, Art Pepper, Moondog, the Slits, Taj Mahal, Pharoah Sanders Gil Evans, Egberto Gismonti...

In the early 1980s, he became the producer of Fela Kuti,^[5] King Sunny Ade,^[6] in 1984 Ray Lema,^[7] the Malopoets from South Africa ^[8] Manu Dibango ^[9] in 1986 Papa Wemba, and Wasis Diop. In 1986, he organised the first raï festival in Bobigny.^[10] He worked with Khaled,^[11] Safy Boutella, Amina, Arthur H, in 1994 Robert Plant & Jimmy Page,^[12] and Alan Stivell.

In 1989 to 1994, he directed Megamix for la Sept on France 3 and then Arte,^[13] world music magazine which ran for six years on French television and other many countries.^[14] Since, he directed documentary films for Arte and Canal+, including several programmes about History, the Internet, digital art, rap, and the techno movement. In 2001, his book about depleted uranium entitled Uranium appauvri : la guerre invisible was published by Robert Laffont.^[15]

Albums (producer)

• Aziz Sahmaoui - University of Gnawa (album, 2011, General Pattern)^[16]
• Louis Bertignac - Grizzly (ça c’est vraiment moi) (album, 2010, Polydor)^[17]
• Khaled - Liberté (album, 2009, Universal)^[18]
• Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80 - Many Things (album, 2008, Tôt ou Tard - Disorient Records)^[19]
• Bigmen - Reggae + Rai (album, 2001, Virgin) featuring Gregory Isaacs, Sly & Robbie, Sugar Minott, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Cheb Anouar, Cheb Tarik, Khaled, etc...^[20]
• Robert Plant & Jimmy Page - No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded (preproduction on the songs Yalla & A wonderful One) (1996, Mercury)
• Alan Stivell - Brian Boru (album, 1995, Dreyfus)
• Arthur H - Arthur H (album, 1990, Polydor) (as co-producer with Arthur H)
• Amina - albums Yalil (1990), Wadiye (1992) and two songs on Annabi (1999)
• Papa Wemba - Esclave (album, 1989, Celluloid)^[21]
• Carmel - Sally remix (single, 1988, London records)
• Wasis Diop - Soweto Dal (single, 1988, Nova)
• Yasuaki Shimizu -Subliminal (album, 1988, JVC)
• Khaled / Safy Boutella - Kutche (album, 1987, Pomme Music-Sony)
• Afrika Bambaataa - U don't have to be a star (single, 1987, Nova) (co-producer with Yasuaki Shimizu)
• Tony Allen - Too Many prisoners (album, 1987, Barclay)
• Ray Lema - Medecine (album, 1985, Celluloid)
• Manu Dibango - Abele Dance (single, 1984) and Manu Seventies (album, 1988)
• King Sunny Adé & his African Beats - Juju Music (album, 1982), Synchro System (album,1983), and Aura (album, 1984)^[22]
• Fela Anikulapo Kuti - Black President (album, 1981, Arista), Original Suffer Head (album, 1981, Arista)
• Okay Temiz - Zikir (album, 1979, Sun Records/King records)
• Don Cherry - Music/Sangam (album, 1979, Europa Records) (as co-producer with Pierre Lattès)^[23]

Soundtracks (composer)

• Rose, c'est Paris, film by Bettina Rheims & Serge Bramly (2010, Arte/Productions Campagne Première)
• Unter Bauern, film by Ludi Boeken (2009, Acajou Films, Pandora, Filmforum)
• Reporters, serie directed by Suzan Fenn & Ivan Straburg (2007–2009, Capa Drama/Canal+)
• The Great Match, film by Gerardo Olivares (2006, Wanda Films) (in competition at Berlinale 2006)
• Death of Diana, documentary by David Carr Brown (2003, Psychology News UK/ABC-Channel 5 UK)
• l’Affaire Clearstream, documentary by Denis Robert (2003, The Factory/Canal +)
• Inside Broadmoor, documentary by David Carr Brown (2002, Psychology News UK/Channel 5 UK)
• République Atomique documentary by David Carr Brown (2001, Artline/ARTE)
• Spin Doctors, documentary by Luc Hermann & Gilles Bovon (2001, Canal+)
• Les 100 photos du Siècle, documentary (1998, Capa)
• Tripalium by Christophe Loizillon (1996 – Vertigo productions)
• Les Guignols de l'Info, TV serie (1995–2010, Canal+)
• Peintres de Kumasi" by Thierry Secrétan (1995, Online/Arte)
• Joe et Marie by Tania Stöcklin (1993)
• Music of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville - « Victoire de la Musique » 92 - « Prix de la Musique Symphonique Légère de la SACEM »
• Kaltex en Chine (1988, Kaltex)
• Les cercueils de monsieur Kani Kwé by Thierry Secrétan (1987, La Générale de Production cinématographique)

Collaborations on soundtracks

• O.C. & Stiggs, film by Robert Altman, collaboration with King Sunny Adé as producer/manager (1984, MGM)
• Black Mic-Mac film by Thomas Gilou, collaboration with Ray Lema as musical director (1985, Barclay)
• Arizona Dream film by Emir Kusturica, collaboration with Goran Bregovic and Iggy Pop (1991, Mercury)
• Dirty Pretty Things film by Stephen Frears with the song Life is Good by Martin Meissonnier/Larbi Dida/U-Roy (2002)

Documentary films (director)

• "La fée Electricité" co-directed by Pascal Signolet (2012 Campagne Première/France 5)^[24]
• "Dancing City Johannesburg" (2012 Campagne Première/France O/Voyage)
• Poubelle la vie, co-directed by Pascal Signolet (2010, 90', Productions Campagne Première/France 3/RTBF)
• Vraie Jeanne Fausse Jeanne (Inquest on Joan of Arc) (2007, 90', Arte/Productions Campagne Première)
• Africa Live - Roll Back Malaria, five concert films, featuring Youssou N'Dour, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Corneille, Awadi & others (2005, 300', Antelope Films/Ideale Audience/Flotow Productions/Xippi)
• On God’s Right, in collaboration with Roger Trilling (2004, 55', Productions Campagne Première/Canal+/SBS Australia)
• The Life of Buddha (2003, 90', General Pattern/Infine films/Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation/Arte/SBS)
• Mc World - Brand Culture featuring Benjamin Barber, Eric Schlosser, Dan Wieden... (2002, 90', Sodaperaga/Arte) « Prix Leonardo » for best European production 2002 - Italy
• Une Europe sans Loi with judges Eva Joly, Renaud Van Ruymbecke, Gerardo Colombo etc... (2000, 52', Tetra Media/la Cinquième)
• Paroles de Juges with judges Eva Joly, Renaud Van Ruymbecke, Gerardo Colombo etc... (2000, 90', Tetra Media/Arte)
• Invisible War, Depleted Uranium and the Politics of Radiation (2000, 64',Canal+) ^[25]« Grand Price » of the Sinergie scientific film festival 2001
• In the Footsteps of the Queen of Sheba shot in Yemen, Ethiopia & Israel (1999, 2x52', Gaumont Television/Arte/SBS/AVRO)
• Web Site Story (1999, 4x26', Gaumont Television/European Community/Arte) (compilation of www.monde & Internet : un monde digital).
• www.monde with Jean-Marie Messier, Serge Tchuruk, Michael Bloomberg about the Net Economy and banking (1998, 110', Gaumont Television/Arte)
• The Wheel of Destiny on Astrology around the world, shot in India, Hong Kong, Guatemala, Mali... (1998, 2x52', The Factory/Arte)
• Time Guardians (1997, 60', The Factory/Canal+)
• Internet - un monde digital with Alvin Toffler, Louis Rosetto (1996, 120', Série Limitée/Arte)
• Music is my Drug/Psychedelic Trance (1996, 52', Compangnie des Phares et Balises/Canal+)

References