Grand Baton (band) explained

Grand Baton
Origin:	New York City, United States
Genre:	Progressive rock, Afro-Caribbean music, electronic rock, jazz fusion
Years Active:	2006 - Present
Label:	Self Published
Associated Acts:	Lisa Fischer
Current Members:	JC Maillard Thierry Arpino Aidan Carroll^[1]

Grand Baton is an Afro-Caribbean, progressive rock and jazz fusion band based in New York City. The band was founded by the composer, arranger, guitarist, pianist, singer and songwriter Jean-Cristophe (JC) Maillard, a native of Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.^{[2] [3]}

Background

Grand Baton, founded by Maillard in 2006, currently performs as a trio and consists of Maillard on vocals, guitar, keyboards and the SazBass, Thierry Arpino on drums and percussion, and Aidan Carroll on upright and electric bass.^[4]

The band has released two studio albums. Le Grand Baton was released in 2007^[5] and Carnal Carnival in 2013.^[6]

Collaboration and touring

In 2013, Grand Baton began its collaboration with the vocalist Lisa Fischer^[3] and Maillard serves as the band's musical director^[7] and arranger.^[8] Since beginning their tour in 2014, The Ms. Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton Tour has performed in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.^[9]

Grand Baton and Fischer have also performed together at several jazz festivals including The Monterey Jazz Festival in 2014,^[10] The Newport Jazz Festival in 2015^[11] and The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2017.^[12]

Grand Baton and Fischer collaborated with The Seattle Symphony in February 2018 for the musical program Just A Kiss Away in which rock and roll anthems including The Rolling Stone's "Gimme Shelter" and Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" were recreated from an orchestral perspective.^[13]

Band members

2014 members

In 2014, the line-up of Grand Baton was:

Members
Name	Instrument(s)	Role
JC Maillard	Guitars, sazbass, keyboards, lead vocals, backing vocals	Music director, founder
Thierry Arpino	Drums, percussion, cajón	Member
Aidan Carroll	Bass guitar, double bass, backing vocals	Member

Former contributors/members

The former members and/or contributors of Grand Baton include the following musicians:^[14]

Past contributors
Name	Instrument(s)
Pascal Rey	Drums
Stéphane Huchard	Drums
Arno Dolmen	Drums, ka drums
Philippe Makaïa	Ka drums
Didier Juste	Ka drums
Sonny Troupe	Ka drums
Olivier Juste	Ka drums
Obanilu Allende	Percussion
Gilmar Gomes	Percussion
Etienne Mbappe	Bass guitar
Linley Marthe	Bass guitar
Fabrice Fanfant	Bass guitar
Alexis Hadefi	Bass guitar

Discography

Title	Details
Le Grand Baton	Release Year: 2007^[15] Formats: CD, digital download
Carnal Carnival	Release Year: 2013 Formats: CD, digital download

External links

• Official website
• Album overview

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton: Breath of fresh air for near-capacity Jazz Alley . Carol Banks Weber. AXS . June 6, 2016 . December 11, 2016.
2. Web site: Jean-Christophe Maillard – guitare . Christophe Jenny . le Bananier bleu - Musiques Jazz Afro-Caribéennes . November 1, 2007 . January 11, 2017.
3. Web site: Lisa Fischer loving life, career, after Stardom . Andrew Gilbert . The Marin Independent Journal . March 31, 2015 . December 11, 2016.
4. Web site: Grammy winner Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton play Washington, D.C., Howard Theatre . Charisse Van Horn . AXS . April 5, 2016 . December 25, 2016.
   - Web site: Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton at Thalia Hall in Chicago, IL on 05-Mar-2016 . Kristine Walton . National Rock Review . March 12, 2016 . January 12, 2017.
5. Web site: Le Grand Baton Review . Michael Popke . Sea Of Tranquility . July 22, 2008 . December 25, 2016.
6. Web site: Grand Baton's Carnal Carnival – the timeless allegorical spirit of the carnival and the streamlined vibrations of modern electronic music . Andrei Cherascu . The Music and Myth . March 29, 2015 . December 25, 2016.
7. Web site: Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton at the City Winery in Chicago, IL . Kristine Walton . National Rock Review . September 8, 2016 . October 23, 2017.
8. Web site: Zero Feet from Stardom: Lisa Fischer . Laura Horley. Tuscan Weekly . February 11, 2016 . October 23, 2017.
9. Web site: Rolling Stones Play Cuba While Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton Announce New Tour Dates . Charisse Van Horn . INQUISITR . March 28, 2016 . September 22, 2017 .
   - Web site: Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton back for Halifax show . Yvette d'Entremont . Metro News . October 20, 2016 . December 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171107003022/http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2016/10/20/lisa-fischer-and-grand-baton-back-for-halifax-show.html . November 7, 2017 . dead .
   - Web site: Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2016 review: Ms Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton . Patrick McDonald . The Advertiser . June 19, 2016 . December 11, 2016 .
   - Web site: Lisa Fischer raises her voice at Maison symphonique . Bill Brownstein . The Montreal Gazette . October 26, 2016 . December 11, 2016 .
10. Web site: A Day at The Monterey Jazz Festival 2014 . Walter Atkins . BAM Magazine . September 20, 2014 . August 9, 2017.
11. Web site: Newport Jazz Festival Adds Jack DeJohnette: Made in Chicago and Ms. Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton to 2015 Lineup . Carolyn McClair . All About Jazz . January 30, 2015 . August 9, 2017.
12. Web site: Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews To Headline 2017 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Biz New Orleans . January 27, 2017 . January 29, 2017.
13. Web site: The Best Classical Music & Opera in Seattle: Winter 2017/2018 . Dave Segal, Kim Selling, Rich Smith . The Stranger . December 6, 2017 . December 7, 2017.
14. The contributor/member listing is compiled from the liner notes included in the booklet insert of each Grand Baton album.
15. Web site: Le Grand Baton Review . Carlos Vaz . Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal . June 23, 2008 . December 25, 2016.
    - Web site: Le Grand Baton Review Independent . Lior Stein . Metal Express Radio . April 6, 2008 . December 25, 2016.