Eric Vincent…Singer, Guitarist, Songwriter

Eric Vincent began his career in Paris at the famous "Port du Salut" with Coluche. This amazing performer, who lives in Paris on a beautiful "péniche" docked by the Bastille, has a special passion for taking his music to every corner of the globe. His name has appeared on marquees in more than 140 countries, where he is often considered one of the best contemporary singers in the chanson française tradition.

In the US, he has performed in every state except Hawaï and Alaska, touring each year to high schools and universities, appearing on radio and television. He has filled the Brooklyn Auditorium in New-York City many times and at other prestigious venues around the world.... World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA, Opera of Hanoï (Vietnam), Opera of Manaus (Brasil)...

He has recorded several CD's and videos with outstanding world and jazz musicians, such as Sylvin Marc, Jean-Philippe Audin, Billy Drewes, Eddy Louiss, Roland Romanelli, and Justin Vali. His recording, Faut-il Encore 2000 Ans? features his French adaptations of eight James Taylor songs. This year, Eric Vincent toured to the Balkan nations of Greece, Croatia, Albania, Mcedonia, Bulgaria and shared the stage in Paris with his good friend, Georges Moustaki (lyricist of Edith Piaf's Milord).

Si du méringué tu es dingue
Pose ton flingue à Saint Domingue
Si c'est un calypso fais un saut
à Trinidad ou Tobago
Ça sent bon, ça sent beau, ça Samba
San Salvador da Bahia...

If you're crazy about the meringue
Set your sight on Santo Domingo
If it's calypso that turns you on, jump right over
To Trinidad or Tobago
It feels good, it smells good , it Sambas
San Salvador of Bahia...

Eric's appearances elicit uniformly enthusiastic responses. Personable and dynamic, Eric has an extraordinary presence on stage that overcomes all language barriers. His songs-a blend of folk, jazz, rock and ethnic rhythms flavored by his world travels-deal with universal themes and wed words of substance with sensitive, modern music. His powerful resonant voice, acute sense of timing, and his charisma dazzle his audiences and make them beg for more.

ERIC VINCENT — "Haiti Kimbé Fò"

Haiti Kimbé Fò

Et le sourire clair de Préfète
M'éclaire du don qu'on lui prête
Duffault en vrai, Duffault en vrai
Il prend du bout de son pinceau
Un peu de bleu aux cieux là-haut
Île lumière

Même si sur le coup de minuit
Un coup de canon déchouque la nuit
Mais oui, mais oui, coup de folie
Je reviendrai à Port-au-Prince
Te dire combien pour toi j'en pince
Île chérie

And the bright smile of Préfète [Duffault, master Haitian artist]
Shines on me with the talent given to him
Duffault for real [play on words]- from false to true
He dips with the tip of his brush
A little blue from the skies above
Island of light

Even though at the stroke of midnight
A cannon shot wipes out the night
Yes indeed, yes indeed, in a moment of madness
I will return to Port-au-Prince
To tell you what a crush I have on you
My darling Island

The world press acclaims:

    "Eric Vincent's return to NEW YORK a success. His Music is universal"
    (NEW YORK TIMES)

    "Composotor francès ultrapassa fronteiras da linguagem"
    (DIARO DA MANHA - BRAZIL)

    "Music for a world without borders"
    (SINGAPORE TIMES)

    "Eric Vincent : Canciòn sin barreras"
    (CULTURA - MEXICO CITY)

    "French singer Eric Vincent overcomes the language barrier"
    (BANGKOK POST)

With guitar or at the piano, Eric 's style is sophisticated but in no way interferes with the warm and relaxed atmosphere he creates and which makes us forget that he is alone on stage.

Faut trois notes pour faire un accord
Trois accords pour une chanson
Un peu de terre, d'eau et de feu
Sept couleurs pour un arc-en-ciel
S'il faut de tout pour faire un monde
Si des différences naît l'harmonie
Nos solitudes se confondent
à l'épicentre de la vie...

We need three notes to make a chord
Three chords for a tune
A bit of earth fire and water
Seven colors for a rainbow
If we need everything to make a world
If from differences we get harmony
Our lonelinesses are mingling
By the epicenter of life...

 

Eric Vincent's lyrics are featured in various textbooks: C'est Comme ça, by Valette and Valette (D.C Heath and Co), Sans Bornes (Holt, Rinehart and Winston), Si on chantait avec...Eric Vincent" (Hatier/Didier), and in video Reflets Français, (Bernard Petit Prod.), distributed by the American Association of Teachers of French. Eric stars in two music videos of his songs Lula and Haiti Kimbé Fo, directed by Haitian filmmaker Jean Paul Sevres.

Eric has "Carte Blanche" every month on the French national radio station "France Inter". During this show he introduces friends from the different countries he has visited-musicians, singers, painters, such as Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) Chéri Samba, Lokua Kanza and others.

In addition to his busy concert schedule, Eric Vincent has become involved in a world-wide project "Opération Boule de neige" started by school children in the small French town of Bonchamp to oppose violence in children's programming on television. He wrote the music for the song Jamais plus de violence and directed its recording.

Eric Vincent appears in the following books :
La Chanson de Paris, Jean Lapierre (Aumage editions)
Georges Moustaki La Ballade Du Métèque, Louis-jean Calvet (Fayard/Chorus)
îles, Centre Georges Pompidou (Gallimard)
J'aime Chéri Samba, Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain (Actes Sud)
Florilège de la chanson de mer, Jacques Yvart (EMOM)