Trio ZinZon play dance music from Brittany, Central and South-West France. Based in south-east England, we play for Festoù-Noz, Bal Folk and Bal Occitan (i.e. French dances from the different regions). We also run dance and music workshops.
Chris Shaw
Fiddle, Diatonic Accordions, Guitar, Vocals, Dance teaching
I fell in love with music from Corrèze and Auvergne in 1984 when meeting Jean-Pierre Champeval and then Jean-François Vrod in Belgium, both violoneux (fiddlers). Soon after, Marc Perrone inspired me to pick up my melodeon again and play some of his wonderful music. Then I discovered the paradise of St Chartier and so much more.
In these 30-odd years, I have come to know and understand in context music and dance from being in various different areas of France - e.g. Bourbonnais, Morvan, Béarn, Gascogne, Bretagne - and I’ve met some wonderful musicians.
Caroline and I have put some of that to good use in Duo Mistral, and now we’ve branched out into Trio ZinZon with Mel, my old pal from Rosbif! and GIG CB! It’s a great life! And the wine’s good too - Santé!
Caroline Shaw
Fiddle, Recorder, Vocals, Dance teaching
I have been involved in French music and dance since the late 1990s, learning the music at festivals and courses in France from fiddle players Jean-Pierre Champeval, Olivier Durif, François Breugnot and Didier Oliver, and singer Evelyne Girardon, amongst others; and dancing of course! The music closest to my heart is from Corrèze and Auvergne, and the bourrée auvergnate is obviously the best dance there is!
Mel Stevens
Chromatic Button Accordion, Clarinet, Bagpipes, Saxophone.
I have had an interest in French dance music since I first went to the St Chartier festival in the early eighties. I have been involved with a number of dance bands including Rosbif and The Drift. As well as Trio ZinZon I currently play with Tonik, Quatre Quart, English ceilidh band GIG CB! and the folk rock pub band OkeeDokee.