photograph copyright Bruno Wagner.
Born Paris, 1961; percussion & computer.
On the improvising front, Lê Quan Ninh first met Peter Kowald in 1987 and the two musicians have continued to work together since, particularly in various combinations of the bassist's Global Village. In 1988 came Lê Quan's first meeting with Carlos Zingaro, an association that again continued in a variety of groupings: in Ned Rothenberg's 'Speaking in Tongues' at Moers [with, in addition, Kazue Sawai (koto), Keiji Haino (electric guitar), Jim Staley (trombone), Robert Dick (flute), Sainkho Namtchylak (voice)] and a 1993 tour of Portugal with Daunik Lazro. Another long-standing musical partnership has been with Butch Morris, started in 1991, reinstated in Hamburg with Excesstet [Butch Morris (cornet) , J. A. Deane (tb & electronics), Martin Schütz (cello & electronics), Paul Lovens (perc) and Hans Koch (clarinets)] and continued in various Conductions (ensembles conducted by Butch Morris) in which have played: Günter Müller (perc & el.) J. A. Deane (tb & el), Christian Marclay (turntables), Martin Schütz (cello & el), Brandon Ross (g), Bryan Carrott (vibes), Elizabeth Panzer (harp), Steve Colson (p); many of these have been recorded in the New World Records Testament box set.
Other participations have been in the 1994 quintet with Phil Minton, Elliot Sharp, J. A. Deane and Reggie Workman at the Konfrontationen festival in Nickelsdorff (Austria), Idiome 1238 with Dominique Répécaud (el. g), Olivier Paquotte (el. b), Daniel Koskowitz (dr), Jacques Debout (recycled records), Michel Doneda, Fabrice Charles (tb) and Jean Pallandre (loud speakers) - first performance also 1994, and the Sülleyman Erguner ensemble: Zeena Parkins (harp), Martine Altenburger (cello), Myra Melford (p), Riccardo Fassi (p), Mario Arcari (oboe), Stefano Montalto (alto), Yoshizawa Motoharu (ctb), Tristan Honsinger (cello), Edgar Laubscher (viola) and Bill Horvitz (el. g).
He plays regularly in ensembles: IDIOME 1238 (since 1995 with D. Repecaud, O. Paquotte, D. Koskowitz, J. Debout, M. Doneda, F. Charles, J. Pallandre); QUANTA (since 1995 with M. Kimura, J. Pallandre, V. Geais, M. Pichelin, M. Doneda), LES DISEURS DE MUSIQUE (since 1990 with S. Pey, M. Doneda, D. Lazro), KINOBITS (since 1996 with Z. Settel, A. Tanaka, C. Zekri, J. Noetinger, C. Auger, X. Querel), LES VOIX D'ENCRE with Ly Thanh Tien, in duet with Michel Doneda, LE GRAND HUIT (since 1989 with M. Mathieu, M. Doneda), ROUES LIBRES (since 1995 with B. Slasak, J. Pallandre, M. Pichelin, M. Doneda, J. Blondel, G. Chauvet), PHUSIS (since 1995 with E. Petit, F. Charles, J. Pallandre, M. Pichelin, M. Doneda, M. Demereau, Steve Robbins), OPEN PAPER TREE (since 1993 with M. Doneda & P. Rogers)... in forms that mix acoustic & electroacoustic music, improvisation, 'art performance', dance, poetry, experimental cinema, photography and video... Since 1993, Lê Quan Ninh has been developing his own interactive computer music under MAX.
Lê Quan Ninh is a member of the Association La Flibuste engaged in the organisation and presentation of improvisation in relation to others art forms. The members of the Association La Flibuste are Michel Doneda, Emmanuel Petit (g), Fabrice Charles (tb), Ly Thanh Tiên (actor/dancer), Isabelle Folliot (plastic artist), Vincent Geais, Marc Pichelin and Jean Pallandre (electroacoustic musicians), Frédérique Baritaud (painter), Béatrice Slasak (experimental cinema), Pascal Delhay (dancer), Ronald Curchod (graphic artist, painter), Philippe Besse (mathematician, violin) and Christian Monsarrat (video). Numerous mixed media performances have been organised since 1994. Association La Flibuste runs it's own CD label - Poil - whose first release was Eclipses by Michel Doneda and Jean Pallandre.
e-mail: contact@lequanninh.net