"Man, you gassed me!" - Dizzy Gillespie

Paris. Is there any place that can compare with the City of Light when it comes to romance, art, history, cuisine, fashion and the sum total of pleasurable experience known as "joie de vivre?" It's little wonder then that Paris boasts more jazz clubs than virtually any other city in the world where some of the best jazz in the Eastern Hemisphere is combined in grand tradition with Grande-Cuisine. Well past midnight , waiters still hustle between bustling kitchens and packed dining rooms serving up some of the best that Paris has to offer, while maitre d'hotel seat a steady stream of night owls arriving in hopes of catching a few solid jazz sets in the ever-young Parisian evenings. 

When it comes to the Parisian jazz scene, none can compare with Nivo and the Serge Rahoerson Group. This versatile ensemble, which hails from rhythm-infused Madagascar, brings a uniquely international sound to straight-ahead finger-snappin' American jazz. Led by the husband and wife team of Serge and Nivo (pronounced Neef) Rahoerson, the group performs extensively throughout France and at Europe's hottest jazz festivals. They have honed their talents playing with such jazz greats as Jaco Pastorius, Jimmy Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D'Rivera, Buddy Tate, John Lewis, Phil Upchurch, Charlie Haden, Duffy Jackson, Warren Vache, Kenny Davern, Tommy Campbell, Kenwood Dennard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Newman, Eddie Davis, Frank Foster, Ray Bryant, Jimmy Witherspoon, Curtis Fuller, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Harry Edison, Arnett Cobb, Billy Mitchell...The list goes on and on. They've also sweetened their jazz pedigree by opening for Chick Corea, Count Basie, and other legends. 

The multi-talented Serge Rahoerson is equally brilliant at the keyboards, saxophone, drums, and arrangements. Lead vocalist and drummer Nivo has that killer "made-for-jazz" voice that can swing from scat to ballads without missing a beat. Bassists Max Hery and Gerard Rakoto and guest artists including Francois Réau, Eddie Rabeson, and Patrick Rabeson add to the group's dynamic and versatile arrangements with their masterful individual styles. The result creates not only a new spin on standards like Satin Doll, but also originals such as Lainga (with lyrics in their native Malgache tongue) that will reverberate in your memory long after the music has stopped. 

Nivo and Serge have earned enthusiastic praise from critics, and play regularly across the premier Paris jazz clubs, including Caveau de la Huchette, Lionel Hampton Jazz Club, Le Meridien, Le Bilboquet, and L'Arbuci. When they're not booked in Paris, they're performing at Jazz festivals, clubs, and private events across the globe. The Rahoersons have played for audiences in the United States, Britain, Switzerland, and many other countries.

It's easy to see - and hear - why Nivo and the Serge Rahoerson Group is a Paris favorite with some of the best jazz you'll ever snap your fingers to...