Serge Bringolf -

Serge Bringolf (born Dec. 27, 1957) is a French drummer and composer who led Strave across two studio albums and a live LP, then recorded Agboville with pianist Siegfried Kessler.

Background

Serge Bringolf was born in 1957 in Strasbourg. Bringolf studied saxophone at the Strasbourg Conservatory from 1971 through 1973 before switching to drums and composition. Around age nineteen, he bought a former postal van and crossed France to seek bookings from MJC youth centers and clubs. Club operator Jacky Barbier gave Utopie a 1977 date at Bresse-sur-Grosne. Bringolf retained bassist Étienne Jesel for the revised lineup. Guitarist Alain Eckert and pianist Patricia Dallio joined him for club and MJC dates across eastern France. He later played with Vangelis Papathanassiou in London, then formed Strave as a larger ensemble. In January 1980, the drummer brought Strave to À l’Ouest de la Grosne for a four-track recording session.

Strave

Serge Bringolf released his debut double album, Strave, in 1980 on Omega Studio.

Bringolf wrote and arranged four side-length compositions for a ten-piece lineup without guitar or keyboards. Bassist François Grillot joined saxophonist Philippe Gisselmann, vibraphonist Richard Muller, violinist Michäel Nick, and singer Mano Kuhn.

A1. “Délire” (16:30)
B1. “Strave” (18:00)
C1. “Utopie” (18:00)
D1. “Jodwernssen” (15:00)

The drummer produced the January 1980 sessions at À l’Ouest de la Grosne in Bresse-sur-Grosne, where the ensemble used four-track equipment. Grillot entered the date after several years with Edition Spéciale.

Alain Bregy designed the gatefold sleeve around a black-and-white performance photograph of Bringolf at the drum kit.

Soleil Zeuhl restored the full program for a 2011 CD reissue with historical notes and photographs.

Vision

Serge Bringolf released his second album, Vision, in 1981 on Omega Studio.

The revised Strave reduced the wind section and added guitarist Alain Eckert, with Alain Lecointe and Claude Boussard dividing bass duties. Saxophonist Philippe Geiss, trumpeter Denis Petithory, vibraphonist Emmanuel Séjourné, and singer Mano completed the ensemble. Bringolf composed all five tracks.

A1. “Vision” (10:18)
A2. “Plus I” (2:12)
A3. “Plus II” (8:00)
B1. “Plus III” (2:30)
B2. “Ma-Ho. Peneta” (13:20)

The drummer produced and arranged the July 19–23 sessions at Omega Studio. Francis Adam, the owner of Omega Studio, engineered the recordings and shared the mix. In 1981, former Art Zoyd guitarist Eckert also recorded a self-titled quartet album with Bringolf and Lecointe.

Daniel Schmitt designed the sleeve from a front-cover concept by Bringolf.

Soleil Zeuhl reissued Vision on CD in September 2012 with restoration by Udi Koomran and notes by Stéphane Fougère.

Agboville

Serge Bringolf released his third studio album, Agboville, with Siegfried Kessler in 1983 on Omega Studio.

Kessler played acoustic and electric piano with balafon. Bringolf added balafon; both also contributed voice. The pianist supplied five compositions, while Bringolf wrote three.

A1. “Agboville” (3:13) – Kessler
A2. “La Passerelle” (4:42) – Kessler
A3. “Nefta” (4:00) – Kessler
A4. “Jana” (7:18) – Kessler

B1. “Sigi Dance” (5:34) – Bringolf
B2. “Maroussia” (4:45) – Kessler
B3. “African Dance” (3:33) – Bringolf
B4. “Mano” (7:21) – Bringolf

On January 26, 1983, Bringolf and Kessler recorded the album in Strasbourg. Francis Adam engineered the session, and Bringolf mixed the master. Kessler entered the date after recording the 1982 duo album Aeros with saxophonist Daunik Lazro for Hat Hut.

Orlando Nadai designed the beige sleeve around a black-and-white photograph of rippled water. P. Friedrich prepared the label artwork.

Strave Live

Serge Bringolf released the live album, Strave Live, in 1983 on RBO.

The broadcast lineup reduced Strave to five credited players with guitarist Alain Eckert, saxophonist Francis Bourrec, and Bringolf. Bassists Alain Lecointe and Thierry Eckert divided the set.

A1. “Funk 1” (8:01) – Bringolf
A2. “Funk 2” (13:48) – Bringolf

B1. “Silver Spoon” (3:10) – Eckert
B2. “Impro” (9:47) – Bringolf
B3. “Chorus” (5:30) – Kraft, Bringolf

FR3 Strasbourg recorded the performance on March 26, 1982, for regional television. Bringolf produced the RBO release.

Patricia Barth designed the sleeve with photography by Orlando Nadai, who also created the artwork for Agboville.

Later Activity

Bringolf recorded with Hugh Hopper and Richard Sinclair at Bresse-sur-Grosne in November 1983; the session surfaced in 1996 as Somewhere in France. He also worked with Michel Portal and Yochk’o Seffer, then formed a trio with François Cahen and Jean-Paul Céléa. His 1986 work with Biréli Lagrène and Jaco Pastorius contributed to Stuttgart Aria and the later live release Heavy’n Jazz.

After a 1989 SACEM honor for group and orchestration at the Rencontres Françaises de la nouvelle scène, MSR issued “Lelila” as a 1990 single. Through 1997, Bringolf worked on Los Angeles projects with Roby MacKenzie and Marco Mendoza. Cyborg Desire became his solo electronic-percussion project in 2014, and the name later appeared on a limited album.

Discography: