Huge amount of feeling from a few notes

French accordion player adds depth to Wachovia Jazz Series

Daniel Mille, an award-winning French accordion player, has realized a dream of Michael Grofsorean's, longtime producer of Spoleto Festival USA's Wachovia Jazz Series.

Provided

Daniel Millle

"He plays the type of music I've been looking for a real long time," Grofsorean said. "I have imagined how that would sound and now I know, because of him. He is both very romantic and sublime, all at once."

Mille will perform through June 2 at the Simons Center Recital Hall at the College of Charleston at 7 and 9 p.m.

In an e-mail exchange, Mille said of his approach to music: "I try to write unique music, without any concession, and at the same time, a music extremely melodic and legible."

Evidently, he's successful.

He attracted Grofsorean, who has been booking musicians from around the world for about 30 years and has a very discerning ear. "His music is very French, yet it's universal," Grofsorean said. "He gets a huge amount of feeling out of not very many notes. He's another composer who plays mostly his own material. He plays the music of (Astor) Piazzolla. He's a very creative fellow."

Piazzolla is the father of Argentinian tango. He played the bandoneon, an accordionlike instrument. The sound is growing in popularity as there is a resurgence in dance music.

Mille and his colleagues perform this year on the heels of bandoneon player Dino Saluzzi, who was a big hit at last year's Wachovia series.

Playing with Mille will be Stephane Chausse on clarinet and Eric Longsworth on cello.

Grofsorean also has been listening closely to recordings by Mille.

"If you listen from recording to recording, there's a consistency of musical depth. In a gentle but powerful way, he sweeps listeners off their feet."

Mille first recorded in 1993. The album is "Sur les quais." It won a Django d'Or and the French International Jazz Trophy for a First Album. He has also written extensively for film and theater. Known around the world, he has toured Mexico, Japan, Canada, South Africa and the United States, among other countries.

Mille said along with Piazzolla, he has been influenced by Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Brazilian music, Ravel, Debussy and The Beatles.

His style comes more out of his heart than his head. "I think the way I play is not far from the way I listen. Emotion comes first, then comes the intellectual way."

He seems totally absorbed in his craft. When asked how he felt about the state of jazz around the world, he said, "I never ask myself these kind of questions. It's not my job because my job is to create, to play, to look for, to imagine. I don't even know myself if my music is jazz."