Hocus Pocus
Tom Misch

Like a symbol of the transition between two projects, the six members of Hocus Pocus presented C2C on stage at their last show in April 2012 in Tokyo. 15 years earlier, the Nantes rapper, DJ and producer released his first mix-tape recorded in his college's courtyard. In 1997 he joined forces with DJ Greem to form Hocus Pocus and release a debut album (Seconde Formule). Hocus Pocus pairs signature hip hop features (scratches, samples, rap) with musicians churning out jazz, soul and funk live. The Nantes group is often compared to The Roots because of the musician-heavy performance. Aside from rappers Oxmo Puccino and Akhenaton, Hocus Pocus soon grabbed the attention of Alice Russell, Omar and the trombone player Fred Wesley. Hocus Pocus took a break after three more albums: 73 Touches, Place 54 and 16 Pièces (2010). In the meantime, the buddies founded C2C who won fourDMC team world championship titles (2003-2006). 20Syl works on remixes (with Rihanna, Gregory Porter, Kendrick Lamar, Ibrahim Maalouf etc.) whilst Greem focuses more on C2C. The word hoax may have come from hocus pocus but this is anything but bogus: Hocus Pocus are coming back in 2019!

Line-up: 20Syl (v), DJ Greem (DJ), David Ledeunff (GTR, v), Hervé Godard (b), Matthieu Lelievre (k), Antoine Saint Jean (dms), Thomas Faure (cuivre), Lorenz Rainer (cuivre), Christophe Panzani (cuivre), Jason Medeiros (v)

Crédit photo: © D. Gallard

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, refined and stylish producer, in 2018 Tom Misch brought us Water Baby, a single heralding the arrival of the 22 year old Brit's very first album, Geography. The young South London prodigy has had millions of listens and views on social networks with a variety of the ever-soft and melodious soul hip pop tracks and EPs that he has produced over the last three years. Being a musician from generation 2.0 (and Y too) means he works alone but this lad likes to collaborate with his friends from the Southbank scene (Croydon/Merton/Forest Hill etc.): Carmody, Cosmo Pyke and the rapper Loyle Carner in particular. The rapper laid down his disillusioned groovy flow on the aforementioned Water Baby and the delectable Crazy Dream, 2016's summer hit. The MC's laidback vibe is the perfect foil to the singer's soft soulful vocals and warm melodies. The Southern gang form a kind of open musical community where everyone supports each other's projects. Good times. And Tom Misch is a rising star with support from the BBC in Britain and France Inter across the pond. Even Sir Elton John called him Brexit's answer to Jay Kay (Jamiroquai).

Crédit photo: © DR