© Quentin Rousseau
Stephen Besse is a classically trained pianist who was as well initiated to Jazz improvisations. He also has a penchant for Electro and Hip-Hop infused sounds making him an open-minded and versatile musician.
He likes to introduce himself as a "360 degrees Pianist" playing simultaneously bass, harmony & rhythms with a set of keyboards, bass pedal & MPC.
Stephen offers his original musical technique around the world (France, China, Colombia, La Réunion, Mexico, Egypt…) in various projects of live soundtrack for movies showings (THINGS TO COME, DÉJÀ-VU), the POTSIKEI duo, and also with his solo creation under the alias MAÅSS.
Alongside his artistic life, he holds a DEM diploma and thus teaches piano in a musical school in France called JAZZ À TOURS. Moreover, he develops training sessions and masterclasses around keyboards and harmonics in the music school TOUS EN SCÈNE.
In a spirit of sharing, Stephen also regularly opens his private underground club the LAB.O and organizes ELECTRONIC BEEF events there (electro jam on machines) as well as DRUM NIGHT evenings around 175BPM extreme music.
With his experience as an artist, teacher and cultural actor for electronic music, he offers today with JAZZ À TOURS monthly "Electro Workshop" around the timbre of the legendary drum machines TR-808 / TR-909 / TB-303.
MAÅSS
(Human Electronica)
MAÅSS is the exploding-fixed, a solo performance in constant quest for climax.
Armed with a cockpit of keyboards, pedals and MPC, its pilot Stephen Besse is one of those neo-instrumentalists who dare to redefine the rules of the game.
Navigating between shadows and lights, he sensitively delivers brutal music tinged with "Amen Break" rhythms, colors borrowed from Classical music, and deep bass inspired by the Jungle / Drum & Bass styles.
Duo
LAB.O ELECTRO
(Une Jam sur machines
electroniques ouverte à tous !)
The Lab.0 Electro is here the opportunity to easily jam at several on different electronic machines available (drum machines, mpc, synthesizers, samplers...) and to model the sound material in Techno, House, Minimal styles...
Thanks to the simple and fun aspect of the game on machines, this mini laboratory will allow an original meeting around modern instruments to handle, while revisiting the famous sounds
Roland TR-808 / TR-909 / TB-303
which marked the history of Hip-Hop and Techno !
POTSIKEI
(Human Electro-Glitch)
Born from a chance encounter at a gig in the UK, the duo POTSIKEI is the fusion of two outstanding rhythmists in the service of dance.
ØRFEY is a professional beatboxer. He delivers his sharp rhythms through his voice, and offers an array of Electro-Glitch grooves which are all punchier than the next.
MAÅSS is his harmonic double, and develops his “electrified” musical chords and deep analogic bass sound with expert dexterity on his keyboards.
Between them, they keep in balance this constantly mutating «human drums and bass» and demonstrate with simplicity that the body can go much further than the machine.
Spectacles
THINGS TO COME
(Movie-concert)
THINGS TO COME was written by H.G. Wells, the great English author precursor to science fiction (The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, The Time Machine...). Rare work to rediscover absolutely, THINGS TO COME is a fiction film very contemporary, lined with an anti-war pamphlet. It also has a prophetic vision of our time and the relationship to technological progress.
The duet NeirdA & Z3ro featuring Stephen Besse, explores in this movie-concert some new psychedelic, electronic and cinematic climax with a "retro-futuristic" look.
In co-production with La Station Service (Rennes), Premiers Plans festival (Angers), l’Antipode (Rennes), SMAC La Tangente/MJC Picaud (Cannes) and La Nef (Angoulême).
DÉJÀ-VU
(Live-cinema)
DÉJÀ-VU is a live-cinema created and live mixed by Alex Boulic (Director / VJ). In this electronic and psychedelic odyssey, NeirdA & Z3ro featuring Stephen Besse built music during the film.
Crossing between digital arts (video art, VJ'ING, 3D creation), modern music and mapping, DÉJÀ-VU is a live "artivist" movie which integrates the spectator into an immersive and visual experience by questioning his own landmarks...
In co-production with La Station Service (Rennes), Nyktalop Mélodie, Consortium, Le Lieu Multiple (Poitiers), La Sirène (La Rochelle).
Teaching
JAZZ À TOURS
Far from the dusty teaching of a traditional music school, Stephen offers a 2.0. version of learning jazz piano and contemporary music keyboards.
Involved in various projects with a rich musical life, his career gives him a real artistic and professional knowledge of the musician profession.
Working since 2012 at JAZZ À TOURS, a famous music school in the center of France, he provides workshops and various levels cycles developing fun and personalized lessons for each student.
TOUS EN SCÈNE
Fascinated by music and always avid to trasmit, Stephen develops masterclass at the school of modern and amplified music TOUS EN SCÈNE, for pianist and keyboardist who want to grow up in a professional way.
He gives an unique and alternative vision of instrument, body, harmony, music univers… to be an "All terrain musicien".
Lab.O
Secret underground club
In a Berlin spirit, Stephen regularly opens his troglodyte for private parties under the sign of listening and sharing.
Electronic Beef, Lab.O Electro, Je Dis Jazz, We Love Machines or Drum Night... only one recommendation to join these circles :
Be the Artist of your Life !
