Marianne Dissard

Marianne Dissard (born 20 May 1969 in France) is a singer, lyricist and author, and filmmaker who lived in the United States from 1985 to 2013, including Tucson, Arizona from 1994 to 2013. "A central figure in Tucson's desert music community"^[1] with her unique hybrid of French Chanson and Americana, she is noted as a "charismatic performer"^[2] and for the quality of her lyrics.^[3]

Biography[]

Dissard was born in Tarbes, France, and grew up in the countryside near the French city of Toulouse before moving at the age of 16 to Mesa, Arizona in the United States following her parents. Dissard relocated to Los Angeles in 1989, briefly roommating to musician Howe Gelb while attending film school at the University of Southern California. Active in Los Angeles' independent film-making scene, she collaborated with directors Clay Walker (filmmaker) and Gregg Araki as well as French distribution company with the selection of the "Inédits d'Amérique" film series by Jon Jost, Allison Anders and Alex Cox.

In 1994, Dissard arrived in Tucson, Arizona to direct a documentary on Howe Gelb's alt-Americana band Giant Sand. She remained in Tucson for nearly two decades, taking an increasingly active part in the city's music scene, from lyricist and muse, to full-fledged producer and performer with her own touring career. Her eleven-year marriage with French musician Naïm Amor ended in 2008.

Dissard left Tucson and moved back to Europe in 2013. She has been based in Ramsgate, England since 2017, with one foot still in Tucson, Arizona and another in Paris, France.^[4]

Creative life[]

Dissard has collaborated with Tucson band Calexico's Joey Burns, who composed her first two albums: lo-fi demo debut 'Dedicated To Your Walls' (2006) and 'L'Entredeux' (2008), which he also produced. An album of bitter love songs, L'Entredeux won a Coup de Coeur prize from France's Académie Charles Cros in 2009 and was released in Europe by labels Le Pop Musik and Vacilando'68.^[5] Dissard's second album, L'Abandon (2011), also garnered worldwide accolades.^[6] Co-produced by BK-One, it tackled subject matters such as her hometown of Tucson, abortion, Mexican porn comic books and marriage. Third album The Cat. Not Me (2013) was co-written by Dissard and composer Sergio Mendoza of the Tucson mambo ensemble Orkesta Mendoza. Dealing with emotional and physical exhaustion, nightmares, addiction and botched connections, the nonetheless upbeat album premiered at SXSW in 2013,^[7] with Seattle producer/musician Budo and violinist Andrew Joslyn.

The live studio album, 2009 Paris One Takes (City Series) ("a fantastic album")^[8] is the first in the ongoing Cities Series of albums recorded with band while on tours. Berlin Two Takes (City Series), the series' second album, was released in 2012 and included a duet with Belgian singer Arno. Third in the series, Cologne Vier Takes (City Series) was recorded in Germany in 2015 with guitarist and vocalist Allyson Ezell. A compilation album Cibola Gold: Best Of 2008-2015 was released in 2016, tracklisted by BK-One. Marianne Dissard has performed from Europe to North America, China as well as Turkey, New Zealand and Australia. Most notable live shows include those at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City in July 2010 and in Europe, at the Dortmund's KonzertHaus in 2010, but also a walking tour of the Pyrénées with donkey in 2010. Festival performances include New Zealand's Sounday in 2010, South By Southwest in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, Joshua Tree Roots Festival, USA (2010) and Split Works' Black Rabbit Festival in China (2011).^[9]

As a documentary filmmaker, Marianne Dissard has collaborated with Tucson band Giant Sand and Howe Gelb on the music documentary 'Drunken Bees' (1996) and with artists Robbie Conal ('Post No Bills' (1993, co-producing credit), funded by ITVS/PBS), Robert Kramer on camera for French TV-funded film 'Low Y Cool' (2006) and Keja Kramer. Dissard's first fiction film, 'Lonesome Cowgirls', a remake of Andy Warhol's 'Lonesome Cowboys', was conceived as a conceptual companion piece to album 'L'Abandon' and shot in Tucson, Arizona over a strictly-timed 24hrs period in June 2010.^[10] Several music videos and short video pieces are also credited to Dissard, including collaborations with Orkesta Mendoza, Bones & Beeker and Amor Belhom Duo.

Marianne Dissard's performance collaborations with American-born, Berlin-based choreographer Ami Garmon have been presented at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (exhibit Hiver de l'Amour by Purple Prose 1994), Fondation Cartier (1994), (in residency, 1994) and (1994), Arte TV Lounge (2010), (2011), Zurich's Rote Fabrik (2011), Tanz im August Festival in Berlin (2013).

As a lyricist, Marianne Dissard has written for , Fredda, Françoiz Breut, Giant Sand's Howe Gelb, , Allyson Ezell and herself. She was the main lyricist for French avant-pop duo Amor Belhom Duo. Her bilingual French-English poetry and writings have been published in Spork and other English-language literary magazines. Her first book Not Me, a lauded memoir of her life struggles with eating disorders, was released in 2019. The book was adapted to the stage in 2018, and toured (including a walking tour of East Kent) in 2019.

Discography[]

Albums[]

• (2016)
• (City Series) (2015)
• (2014)
• (City Series)(2012)
• (2011)
• (City Series)(2010)
• (2009)
• (2006)

EPs[]

• Limited-edition (2009), 7" split single with
• Limited-edition (2008), 7″ split single with Alaska in Winter
• Limited-edition (2006), 7″ four songs from "Dedicated To Your Walls"

Compilations and contributions[]

• I Saved Latin, A Wes Anderson Tribute - American Laundromat Records (2014)
• Tucson Songs – Le Pop Musik (2011)
• Rough Guide to Paris Lounge – Rough Guides (2011)
• Le Pop 6 – Le Pop Musik (2010)
• Eight for Matisse – Barbes Records / MOMA (2010)
• Le Pop 5 – Le Pop Musik (2009)
• Ballade En France – Universal Australia (2009)
• Le Pop Les Filles – Le Pop Musik (2008)
• Trikont's Christmas compilation (2008)
• Christmas in Tucson – independent (2007)
• Wish You – Trikont Records (2007) with Amparo Sanchez
• Kris Kristofferson tribute – independent (2006)
• Filles Fragiles – Filles Sourires (2006)
• Loving Takes Its Toll, a Tribute to Kath Bloom on Chapter Music (2006)

Collaborations – lyrics[]

• On Christian Ravaglioli's albums "Il giovane Valzer" (2014) and "Ti Confido Un Segreto", including single "Love Is Love" (2018) with Sara Jane Morris
• On Vanessa Philippe's album "My Man" (2014)
• On Fredda's album "L'Ancolie" (2012)
• On 's EP (2008)
• With Amparo Sánchez (2008) on track
• On Giant Sand's album "All Over The Map"
• On 's album (2005)
• On Amor Belhom Duo's album "Live in Tucson" (2001)
• On Amor Belhom Duo's album "Self-titled" (1999)
• On Amor Belhom Duo's album "Wavelab Performance" (1998)

Collaborations – singing[]

• "The Best" duo with (2018 and 2019)
• On Christian Ravaglioli's album "Il giovane Valzer" (2014) and "Ti confido un segreto" (2018)
• "Un Gros Chat" duo with Arno (2012)
• Noah and the Megafaun – (2011)
• Ultra – Brian Lopez (2011)
• Ballad of Cable Hogue – on "Hot Rail" by Calexico (2000)
• Elevator Baby – on Tête A Tete" by ABBC (Amor Belhom Duo & Calexico) (2001)

Collaborations – producing[]

• Orso Jesenska - Album "Effacer La Mer" (2014)
• Vanessa Philippe - Album "My Man" (2014)

Bibliography[]

• Not Me (2018) Memoir

Filmography[]

• Tortue (2016), 4 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor.
• World Behind (2015), 4 min music video for Bones & Beeker
• Je Ne Le Savais Pas (2014), 4 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor.
• Election (2014), 3 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor.
• Mouton Bercail (2013), 3 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor.
• Am Letzen (2013), 3 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor.
• Close Your Eyes And Add A Touch of Nothing (2014), full-length video of Ami Garmon's and Frank Willens' dance performance. Director.
• Mambo in the Dark (2012), 2 min music video for "Mambo Mexicano" by Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta. Director, editor.
• Lonesome Cowgirls (2011), 52 min conceptual video based on Andy Warhol's "Lonesome Cowboys". Director, producer, actor.
• Eté, Hiver (2011), 5 min music video for Dissard album "L'Abandon". Director, producer, editor, actor.
• The One And Only (2011), 5 min music video for Dissard album "L'Abandon". Director, producer, editor, actor.
• Les Draps Sourds (2008), 3 min music video for Dissard album "L'Entredeux". Director, producer, actor.
• Dublin: Celtic Traveler (2001), 52 min documentary for TV Breitzh, France. Director.
• Reminds Me (2011), 4 min music video for Amor Belhom Duo. Director, producer, editor.
• Low Y Cool (1997), 52 min documentary for Planête, France with Robert Kramer on camera. Director.
• Drunken Bees (1995–2005), 30 min documentary on Giant Sand. Director, producer, editor.
• Post No Bills (1993), 57 min documentary on Robbie Conal, funded for PBS by ITVS. Co-producer, sound recordist.

References[]

External links[]

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• Palmares 2009 Académie Charles Cros
• New Zealand Herald review 'L'Abandon' 2011
• Kultur Magazine review 'L'Abandon' 2011
• MOMA, NYC performance 2010
• Venus Magazine review 'Paris One Takes' 2010
• RFI Radio France International on Tucson
• Arizona Daily Star on 'Lonesome Cowgirls'
• Official Site
• Pitchfork album review 'L'Entredeux' 2009
• Blurt Online review 'Paris One Takes' 2010

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