Bruno Green, a name synonymous with discretion and elegance known for the rigor and consistency of his creative approach
"The Mellotone project" : a trilogy proposed by Bruno Green.
When two of the most prolific musicians, mixers, and producers from the French scene of the last thirty years combine their talents, the result is "The Mellotone project", a trilogy that pays homage (but not only) to numerous references spanning the years and musical currents traversed by Bruno Green and Gilles Martin, both together and separately since their meeting in the early 90s. Their collaboration has cemented a friendship that remains strong to this day.
Their track records are impressive: for the first, in addition to his solo work, Bruno's credits include recording, mixing, and producing the second and third albums of Miossec, the comeback album of Matmatah, albums by Détroit and Lilium, as well as contributing significantly to the French neo-folk scene of the 2000s. He also founded the collective Santa Cruz and gained international recognition after the release of the Blue Void Trilogy recorded in Boston in 2005, alongside Session Americana and produced by Billy Conway (Morphine). This work caught the attention of British and American press, leading to collaborations with artists like Marc Ribot (Tom Waits), Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate), and John Convertino (Calexico).
As for the second collaborator, a renowned international producer with a career starting in the early 80s in Brussels, he has contributed to legendary albums by Tuxedo Moon, Bel Canto, Wire, Colin Newman, Minimal Compact, Miossec, Dominique A, and many others. His active career continues with ongoing collaborations.
"The Mellotone project" :
Over thirty years, Bruno Green has established himself as a key figure in the French, and now international, music scene, known for the rigor and occasional scarcity of his creative output. He is also recognized for his discretion and the elegance that characterizes his productions, whether his own or for other artists. With one foot in Europe and the other in North America, where he has resided for nearly two decades, Bruno continues to draw from both cultures to deliver three albums under the banner "The Mellotone project", featuring a small group of international musicians and his long-time friend and producer, Gilles Martin. Like its predecessor, "The Blue Void Trilogy", "The Mellotone project" is a triple album that goes against the prevailing commercial logic, offering a free and uncompromising proposition—a reaffirmation, if needed, of fundamental values in response to societal changes in recent years.
Biography :
In 1990, Bruno made a notable entry into the Rennes music scene with a four-track EP, earning a slot at the Transmusicales festival the same year and a contract with the prestigious label New Rose. His album "Strange moody times" was released in spring 1992, establishing him nationally among both critics and peers. Always eager to evolve, Bruno recorded "Digging for Happiness" in 1993, blending electro-jazz influences that led to a parting with New Rose. He quickly signed with Polygram, with whom he worked until 1995, releasing the electro-rock EP "Friday", produced by Gilles Martin and arranged by Yves-André Lefeuvre.
This independent streak caught the attention of Christophe Miossec, leading to a successful collaboration producing albums like "Baiser" and “À prendre”, touring until 1998. This period launched Bruno’s career as a mixer/producer, now boasting over 200 productions.
In 1998, Bruno released his only French-language album to date, "A tombeau ouvert”, featuring poems from his collection “Pare-chocs”. Another French album, “Casino”, was recorded in 2000 but never commercially released.
Returning from an international tour in 2002, Bruno founded the Santa Cruz project, releasing the pioneering neo-folk album "Welcome to the red barn", setting the stage for a new French folk/americana scene with bands like My name is nobody, Paloma, Cocoon, and others.
In 2006, Bruno released what remains to this day his masterpiece, "The Blue Void Trilogy," earning him recognition from the international press, both in the Netherlands, renowned for its Americana enthusiasts and specialists, and in England and the United States. Originating from his base camp at the time, Cocoon studio in Rennes, surrounded by his usual group for the first installment "Horse mood," Bruno enlisted Pascal Humbert (16 Horsepower, Lilium, Détroit) and Billy Conway (drummer of Morphine) for the second part, "God's country." He then traveled to the United States to record the third opus, "Father & son," overseen by Billy Conway, who took charge of production, surrounded by the collective "Session Americana," the cream of Boston's folk scene musicians.
In 2007, following numerous collaborations in the United States, Bruno decided to leave France, settling in Canada. He joined Pascal Humbert's Lilium project and contributed to "Felt," one of his most notable albums. Meanwhile, Santa Cruz continued its journey and released the album "A beautiful life" in 2009. Bruno eventually parted ways with the collective in 2011 due to artistic differences.
During the 2010s, Bruno worked on a multitude of French projects, including several albums with drummer Thomas Belhom (of Tindersticks), as well as albums with Colin Chloé, Jéhan, Daran, Fat Supper, My Name Is Nobody, The Missing Season... His career also flourished internationally, especially after establishing his new studio, "Silent Masters," in Canada in 2007. He collaborated with Sacri Cuori (a collective featuring Marc Ribot and members of Calexico and Dirty Three), Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate) on the album "Wynn sings Dylan," and Canadian acts like These Hands, Heart Failure Research Unit, Matt Holubowski, and Simon Kingsbury.
With a group of Montreal musicians, he recorded the EP "Wounded Bird" in 2012, which once again received acclaim from the press and made its mark on independent charts.
One of his major projects from 2012 to 2018 was his involvement in Pascal Humbert and Bertrand Cantat's project, Détroit, for which he produced two albums, "Horizons" and "Amor Fati," and accompanied the band on extensive tours as guitarist and keyboardist. The success of these albums led other artists to entrust him with their productions, notably Melissmell (album "L'Ankou") and Matmatah (their comeback album "Plates coutures").
Over the years, Bruno also made forays into literature with his collection of texts and journal "Pare-chocs," published in France by Editions Balle d'Argent, and in the United States by Black Salt Press. He ventured into documentary filmmaking in 1994 with "Cruising the Dream," a road movie filmed during a long journey across the United States with his poet friend Craig Snyder. He revisited this experience in 2005 with "Hi'n'dry, a Community," paying tribute to the Boston folk scene and his friends from Morphine.
After a personal hiatus of nearly five years and extended stays in Berlin, where this trilogy was born, Bruno returned with "The Mellotone project." We wish you a pleasant listening experience with the first volume, "Apostate," and will keep you informed about the project's continuation.
After a personal hiatus, Bruno returns with “The Mellotone project”, beginning with the volume “Apostate”. We invite you to enjoy and stay tuned for further updates on this project.
For contact and more information: contact@brunogreen.ca / Hasta Luego recordings - Lennoxville, CANADA