Romain Schmitt, being the founding member of the band Pepper Club, is the drummer but also the conductor/arranger. From very early on, he acquired a broad knowledge of music and its history. In addition to being recognized by his peers as a talented musician, he also has a career in sound creation and artistic direction. After extensive training in conducting and writing, he is currently in charge of the artistic direction of the monumental « Disney in Concert » tour.
Composer and singer of Afropop and Franco-Cameroonian Soul, she performs with the most famous musicians and groups in the country (US2U, The Wright Thing, Shebeen). She also performs with the John Paul Band, the SkyLine Club Band and Pamela O’Neal & the Queens of Soul, did the opening act for Stevie Wonder and Kool & the Gang. Menoosha was recently nominated for the BEFFTA Awards in London (« Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts ») in the « Best International Act » category.
Known as Madsax, Fabrice Lauer has no need for an introduction ! He is regularly asked to be a guest by the best known DJ’s in the world such as David Guetta or Laurent Wolf. His inimitable show fires up the very best dance floors in the four corners of the globe. Pioneering leader in his specialty, Madsax is an exceptional virtuoso without contest the best in his category. His explosive improvisations in electro, pop, or funk with the Pepper Club project are richly emotional moments.
Pilou Wurtz began studying the electric bass as an autodidact. He subsequently joined the jazz class at the Strasbourg Conservatory and began his career as a professional musician with the Orchestre Régional de Jazz d'Alsace under the direction of Bernard Struber. While continuing his career as a jazz bassist and double bassist, he performed alongside groups and musicians such as Marcel Loeffler, Tchavolo Schmitt, Di Mauro Swing, Sonando, Cookie Dingler and many others.
Yannick Eichert, better know as Yan, became renowned for his showmanship, especially for his soul and blues inspired voice. He has shared stage appearances with : Steve Ferrone, Marcel Loeffler, John Simms, Fred Chapelier, Amar Sundy, Bernard Allison... He has also played the first half of Jamaica All Stars, Willy DeVille, The Tribu Man Project : John Lee Hooker Jr., Beverly Jo Scott, Gary Moore, Percy Sledge. Recently, Clyde Wright (Golden Gate Quartet) requested that he accompanied him.
Since his tour in 2007 with the singer Ayo, Vincent Bidal has become the pianist that we tear ourselves away from. In addition to his varied training, he is also sought by great singers of variety such as Florent Pagny, Alain Chamfort, or Christophe Willem. Today, after having recorded more than a hundred albums and television programs, he is on tour with « Les Enfoirés », Christopher Cross, Yuri Buenaventura, and Mylène Farmer or Christophe Maé...
Considered one of the most talented jazzwomen today, Caloé sings and improvises to perfection. She is a fervent admirer of Ella Fitzgerald and has thus developed a scat technique. Always surrounded by excellent musicians, she performs in France and abroad: Caloé has played in numerous places such as the Tribeca Arts Center in New York, the Zinco Jazz Club in Mexico City, the Cosmopolite hall in Oslo, the Fasching Jazz Club in Stockholm and the Montreux Jazz Festival.
American composer, producer and guitarist, famous for his contribution to the Funk music evolution and to the R'n'B, Hip-Hop movement, Billy Allen had a number of successes in the 90's with the group Cameo, who are known for their chart success internationally. He is well educated by the prestigious school « Berklee’s College of Music » in Boston. His talent extends to the studio, where he excels in programming, sound engineering and music production.
With 30 years of experience in radio and television sets, Gregory Ott records and goes on tour with artists from all horizons. His musical influences are vast : His career has lead him to work ever since 1998 with the salsa group who consist of: Sonando, Matskat, Steve Ferrone, Tchéky Karyo, Julie Zenatti, Kids United, Orlando Poleo, Bireli Lagrène, Jean-Marie Ecay, Greg Zlap , Sara Lazarus, the writer Frédéric Beigbeder, Natasha St-Pier...
Learning very quickly, through his training at the « Conservatoire de Cologne » a german trumpet virtuoso ; Christian Altehülshorst has already largely proved his talent, notably playing beside renowned jazz and world musicians. He has already toured more than forty countries (Japan Uganda, Malaysia, Israel, USA…etc). Still a very young man, Christian Altehülshorst has an extraordinary talent for improvisation and a unique style of sound : He is Pepper Club’s trumpeter.
Around the age of 12, listening to a solo by Baron Browne was a revelation for the electric bass. A graduate of musicology at the University of Strasbourg, he specialized in improvised music and Latin jazz. This orientation allowed him to meet Cuban pianists Alfredo Rodriguez and Numidia Vaillant. He plays, among other things, 6, 7, and 10-string basses. In an effort to raise awareness of these instruments, he created the Bass6 website and founded the baZic' association.
Experienced saxophonist, Laure Fischer has studied in the improvised department of music at the « Cité de la Musique et de la Danse » in Strasbourg. She performed with the afrobeat groups : Kathy Faller, Shifen, Albinoid Afrobeat Orchestras and with the group of french song revivals Les Zazou de Zoé. After extensive studies at Syracuse University New York city in the United States, she joined various groups such as Shifen, Albinoid Afrobeat Orchestra and Pepper Club in baritone saxophone.
Indispensable pianist and keyboard player on the national and international scene, Michael Lecoq accompanied many Jazz artists including Biréli Lagrène, Hadrien Feraud, Dominique Di Piazza, Mokhtar Samba or André Ceccarelli, as well as well as a vairtey of other artists like Cali, Yannick Noah, Michel Jonasz, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Pascal Obispo, Bénabar or Véronique Sanson. In 2018, Michaël also joined the prestigious team of musicians for Richard Bona !
A self-taught musician, Eric Theiller quickly turned to the jazz trumpet after pursuing a classical career. Since 1990, his experiences have ranged from big bands to more conventional ensembles, leading him to play everywhere. During his career, he has joined a large number of groups: Old Bob, New Swing Quintet, Jazz Feeling Sextet, New Orleans Preachers, Bix Six... The "Trumpet Summit" brings him together with 3 other internationally renowned trumpeters for a European tour.
Erwin Siffer opened for internationally renowned artists like Steve Coleman, Marc Ducret, Eric Truffaz... He has very recently won a group prize at the « Concours Jazz de la Défense » in Paris. In addition to teaching his art at the Strasbourg Conservatory, he regularly collaborates with the theater community, as well as accompanying dozens of artists, and very often records within a studio environment. Erwin Siffer brings a wealth of sounds to the Pepper Club repertoire.
Raymond Halbeisen is a multi-instrumentalist ; he approached jazz through street music, such as Jazz from the New-Orleans and was inspired by his meeting with the great vibraphonist Michel Hausser in the early 1980s. Also passionate about world music, he joined the ensembles « Boublitchki's », « BixSix », « Time To Tramp », « aZango » and the famous « Bernard Struber Jazztett ». He collaborates with accordionist Marcel Loeffler in concerts and records albums released by « Dreyfuss Jazz ».
Kendji Charles was born to a gypsy mother and a Malagasy father. From his double culture he discovers the rhythms and music called “Black music” which travels between Africa and America. After a first single, he returned with an EP « French Soul », then with his Kendjazz project « When Jazz Meets Soul » and finally the album « Il Était Une Fois Malo ». Author, composer and performer, Kendji's works are tinged with a mixture of soul, jazz, bossa nova, and French songs...
An active participant of the Strasbourg groove scene, Thibaut Levy alias Fatbass was discovered in the jam sessions. His ease on stage opened up new musical horizons for him and he began to collaborate with many groups, taking part in big tours : Luc Arbogast, Jamie Clarke's Perfect (The Pogues), Lee « Scratch » Perry (Bob Marley)... At each Pepper Club concert, Fatbass impacts the minds of the audience and the musicians around him with his energetic presence.
Born in Strasbourg, Selia took a taste for music from a very young age alongside her father a choir director for a Gospel group. After marking the show « The Voice », she distinguished herself on the legendary stage of the Olympia for her very first Parisian concert. She joined the « Giro Music » label and received the support of the profession. The DRAC and the ACAL region are helping him create his first show, as well as the ADAMI and the FCM who are supporting his tours and EP.
A full professor at the Bern and Lausanne universities since 2001, Laurent Wolf divides his musical time between teaching and his artistic projects. His musical presence is remarkable alongside musicians such as Daniel Humair, Marcel Loeffler, Park Stickney, and others. He has appeared on television shows and toured Europe with the Yiddish Mamas and Papas. He has also performed with major symphony orchestras and founded the first International Saxophone Competition.
Virtuoso pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, producer and musical director, Michel Ott works in numerous variety and jazz projects such as: the cabaret des Scouts, Virgine Schaeffer, Jewly, Cookie Dingler, Matskat, Franck Wolf, Christian Fougeron ( Raft), French Acoustic, Six de sax, Sum Brazil, Assako, Clémentine, etc. Many references have been produced and recorded in his personal studio.
Having a classical background, a medal and a unanimous Conservatoire 1st prize, François Halbwachs is passionate in his work and his precision ; he has incessantly worked in musical collectivities. He often conducts workshops to transmit his vision of instruments and personal developments, he is known for the power of his musical ability in playing instruments, particularly the sound of his trombone. With his mental capacity, he is a fundamental element in the identity of Pepper Club’s sound.
Born in Kentucky, Alvin Mills became interested in music at the age of 5. He became deeply interested in the electric bass at the age of 13, and he continued to be a hyperactive musician, perfecting his skills in Gospel masses, university ensembles, and the U.S. Army. He has been based in Germany since 1991 and boasts an impressive pedigree with international artists such as Nena, Ronan Keating, Toto, Jeff Lorber, Gloria Gaynor and many more.
Artist of the very famous amusement park « Europa-Park » as a soloist, as well as the show « Holiday On Ice » and at « Cirque Bouglione », Annick Burger has a palette of diverse and varied talents, particularly singing in over ten languages. This large opening allows her to be regularly invited to participate in events beyond French borders: German television sets, luxurious galas in Moscow, private parties in Dubai as well as Costa Brava.