French fusion

French/Kiwi blend: Tui Mamaki and Monsieur E of The Mamaku Project.

A fusion of upbeat European electronica and Middle Eastern jazz gives The Mamaku Project an alluring new sound.

The eclectic group, together since 2005, are on the road with compositions inspired by their musical encounters on a recent European tour.

The French/Kiwi collective will perform at New Plymouth's Matinee tonight starting at 8 as part of their ElectrOrganic Summer Sessions tour.

"We love New Plymouth," says band co-founder and vocalist Tui Mamaki.

The group have played in Taranaki several times, including at Womad 07. But Mamaki says this visit will bring a different sound.

In the ElectrOrganic Sessions, they revamp their signature blend of French chanson, Pacifika dub and Middle Eastern jazz with an injection of upbeat urban European electronica.

"We were inspired during our tour of Europe," she says, adding to expect a sprinkling of circus and multilingual noir poetry.

The show will feature Mamaki and co-founder Monsieur E, Simon Walker, Finn Scholes and special guest Carmel Courtney.

They try to get to Europe every year to play to different cultures and people and gain inspiration.

Mamaki was born in France into a bilingual family of troubadours and raised in both Northland and the Pays Basque area in the south of France.

Monsieur E, who plays bass, keys and is a machines musician, composer, producer and instrumentalist, arrived in New Zealand from Paris in 2000. Four years later, he returned to France and performed with Mamaki at the Errobiko Festival of Itxassou. Along the way, the pair collected other musicians to join the group. Many of their songs are sung in French.