Leïla Martial & Valentin Ceccaldi “FiL”

Leïla Martial – vocal, electronics 
Valentin Ceccaldi – violoncello 

Leïla Martial grew up in a family of classical musicians. She acquired her first knowledge at the Jazz College in Marciac, continuing her studies in Toulouse and San Sebastián, emulating the development of her childhood friend Emile Parisien. However, for a while, she wavered between acting and music – music prevailed after her triumph at the prestigious Concours de la Défense 2009 when she became the first vocal laureate in the competition's history. She made her discographic debut with the album Dance Floor (2012). She continued her career in Circles with drummer Anne Paceo, in the duo FiL with cellist Valentino Ceccaldi, and in her trio Baa Box.

As her role models, she cites singers Jeanne Lee, Bobby McFerrin, Andreas Schaerer, Björk and Maria João, instrumentalists Eric Dolphy and Médéric Collignon, as well as the band Magma. In addition to various jazz areas, she researched French folklore, Roma music, and Pygmy music from the Congo within the ÄkÄ project. It treats the voice as an instrument: it gives priority to the sound rather than the words, then the words determine the meaning of the chosen sound. She sings effortlessly and masterfully, mimicking any sounds she chooses, or creating unusual performances in wild improvisation. In the trio Baa Box, she recorded the albums Baabel and Warm canto, the best vocal album of 2019 as chosen by the French Jazz Academy, winning the Victoires de jazz 2020 for the best French jazz vocalist.

The decor for duo FiL consists of a thread stretching towards the horizon, the songs of Fore, Purcell and Berry that float like wandering souls, and an immense desire to play with the moment. Their first album is scheduled for release in November this year on BMC Records. 

www.leilamartial.com

www.valentinceccaldi.com

Support: French Institute in Serbia