Hadouk Trio Biography

Hadouk Trio France's Hadouk Trio channeled musical elements from across the globe to create a uniquely mystical and evocative sound somewhere between jazz and world pop. The Hadouk Trio was led by Paris-born multi-instrumentalist Didier Malherbe, previously known for co-founding with Soft Machine alum Daevid Allen the famed psych-prog outfit Gong. Malherbe remained with Gong for close to a decade, shepherding the band through myriad personnel and creative changes before exiting in 1978. Throughout his travels Malherbe collected exotic instruments from the far corners of the earth, and after a series of short-lived experimental rock ensembles and a 1980 solo jazz-rock LP, Bloom, in 1994 he embraced world music by forming Hadouk with multi-instrumentalist Loy Ehrlich, a specialist in the hajouj, the African three-stringed bass that, along with the Armenian double-reed instrument the doudouk, gave the project its name. Mahlerbe and Ehrlich initially recorded and toured as a duo, issuing their self-titled debut LP in 1999. With the follow-up, Shamanimal, their ranks swelled to a trio with the addition of American percussionist Steve Shehan, a veteran with stints behind Bob Dylan and Paul Simon on his résumé. Hadouk Now followed in 2002, and two years later the Hadouk Trio issued its first concert LP, Live at Fip. The 2006 release Utopies includes three songs featuring the American trumpeter Jon Hassell. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Popular Biographies:

Audiopain Biography: Norway's aptly named Audiopain evolved from an earlier, more eclectic musical venture founded in 1996 by mysterious members Sverre (vocals/guitar), Petter (bass), and Bjarne (drums), but as of the...

Tavares Biography: The five-brother singing group Tavares may be best known for such up-tempo hits as the million-selling single "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel," "More Than a Woman," and "Whodunit," but they first...

Ragnarok Biography: Norwegian black metal outfit Ragnarok (not to be confused with the '70s Swedish progressive rockers) was born from the ashes of an earlier band named Thoth in 1994, when its drummer, Jontho (real...

Nortt Biography: Denmark's ubiquitous Nortt is a reclusive vocalist and multi-instrumentalist specializing in what critics have labeled "depressive black funeral doom," and whose closest parallels include Australia's...

Popol vuh Biography: Of the many now-legendary artists to emerge from the Krautrock movement, few anticipated the rise of modern electronic music with the same prescience as Popol Vuh -- the first German band to employ a...

Franz ferdinand Biography: Glasgow's art-damaged rock quartet Franz Ferdinand -- named for the Austro-Hungarian Archduke whose murder sparked World War I -- features bassist Bob Hardy, guitarist Nick McCarthy, drummer Paul...

Dakona Biography: Dakona formed in the mid-'90s when Ryan McAllister and his cousin, John Biondolillo, teamed up with their friends Shane Dueck and Brook Winstanley. Spending their free time rehearsing in an old barn,...

Madness Biography: Along with the Specials, Madness were one of the leading bands of the ska revival of the late '70s and early '80s. As their career progressed, Madness branched away from their trademark "nutty sound"...