Benoît Moerlen

Benoit Moerlen

 

 

 

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Benoît studied classical percussion with Jean Batigne, co-founder of "Les Percussions de Strasbourg", focusing very early on mallet instruments. Soon he began to play professionally with classical orchestras and for French composers such as Guy Reibel, Yves Prin or Georges Aperghis.

His first live appearance as a vibes and marimba player in the rock field was with Gong at the Redding, England festival in 1976. He became a core member of the legendary band that included players such as Allan Holdsworth, Mino Cinelu, his brother Pierre Moerlen, Didier Malherbes, Hansford Rowe, Didier Lockwood and Bon Lozaga. Benoît spent four years touring and recording with Gong before joining Mike Oldfield

In the early 90's Benoît met the guitarist Jon Catler who was working with Hansford Rowe in a band using an unusual musical language (Just Intonation). He began using a mallet Kat with totally retuned synthesizers. In 1994 Benoît, bassist Hansford Rowe and guitarist Bon Lozaga formed Gongzilla and made the now cult recording Suffer.

Benoît has also been busy playing solo marimba concerts in France, Belgium and Germany, and in a duo (marimba-vibes) called "Akimbo" with the German vibes player Stefan Traub. He is also performing the music of Darius Milhaud, Eric Satie, Ney Rosauro, J.S. Bach and others with his father (organist at the Cathedral of Strasbourg), keeping in touch with classical music.

Several of Benoît's solo marimba compositions are published by François Dhalmann.

 

Selected Discography

 

GONG                                              

You                             

Gazeuse                     

Expresso II                                     

Gong Live

Downwind

Second Wind

Wingful Of Eyes

GONGZILLA                                   

Suffer

Thrive

Live!

East Village Sessions

MIKE OLDFIELD                 

Exposed                                         

Islands

J.G. CHARVOT                            

Opening