Martin Meissonnier

Paris-based record producer Martin Meissonnier is one of the foremost producers of worldbeat and ethnic recordings. A pioneer and spokesman for the home studio movement, Meissonnier has overseen albums by such artists as King Sunny Ade, Ray Lema, Fela Kuti, Cheb Khaled, Amina, and Haruomi Hosono. In a mid-'90s interview, Meissonnier claimed, "we're living through a golden age of ethnic music." Initially attracting attention as a guitar and keyboards player for rock bands, Meissonnier became fascinated with jazz and improvised music. In 1975, he began promoting jazz concerts and French tours for Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Chico Freeman, Charlie Haden, Jan Garbarek, and Bill Evans, and managing jazz artists including Don Cherry. Three years later, he produced his first album, Don Cherry's Music. ~ Craig Harris