Charles Pasi (born 8 February 1984 in Paris) is a French singer-songwriter and harmonica player.
Biography Early life and education Born to an Italian father and a French mother, Charles Pasi grew up in Paris and was influenced early on by Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Percy Sledge. Without a particular desire to become a musician, he joined a gospel choir at 17 and discovered the harmonica by listening to Bob Dylan and Neil Young. After his baccalauréat, he studied at the Saint Louis Jazz School in Rome and then returned to Paris to take courses at the CIM jazz school and the Atla School.Charles Pasi, on universalmusic.fr, accessed September 1, 2022
Early career (2005–2008) In Rome, he played with the band Mood in Black and then earned his first fees in Parisian bistros.
In 2005, Charles Pasi won the electro-acoustic prize at the Blues sur Seine national competition and the prize at the FestiBlues International Montreal.
In 2006, he released a blues EP, Mainly Blue, in English, which he self-produced.
He participated in various festivals, including the Memphis International Blues Challenge, where he was a finalist, and then began an international tour (United States, Canada, Russia, Hungary, Benelux, Italy, Spain...) He contributed to the soundtracks of the films Actresses by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi and Cineman by Yann Moix.Charles Pasi, on culture.tv5monde.com, November 4, 2014, accessed September 1, 2022 Carla Bruni engaged him for her albums No Promises and Comme si de rien n'était and as a guitarist on her tour.
Albums Uncaged and Sometimes Awake (2009–2016) In 2009, he released his second EP Uncaged. Charles Pasi won the Zimbalam competition at Printemps de Bourges, allowing for the digital distribution of the EP through Believe Recordings. In 2011, the album Uncaged was released. American saxophonist Archie Shepp played on two tracks. For Libération:Charles Pasi's Emancipated Blues , on next.liberation.fr, March 24, 2011, accessed March 13, 2021The music video for the single Better With Butter was directed by actor Louis Garrel. The singer appeared on the musical show Taratata on France 2 and opened for Carla Bruni, Zaz, Jean-Louis Aubert, Sanseverino.Charles Pasi and his first video "Better With Butter", on jazzradio.fr, February 18, 2011, accessed September 1, 2022Jazz Bonus: Charles Pasi - Zebra, on radiofrance.fr, February 5, 2021, accessed September 1, 2022
In 2014, his second album Sometimes Awake was released. For L'Humanité:
For RTL:
He was nominated for the 2014 Victoires du Jazz award in the Revelation of the Year category.Victoires du Jazz, on victoiresdujazz.com, accessed September 1, 2022
Albums Ceci est la musique and Elle (2017–2022) In 2017, Pasi released the album Ceci est la musique, with an eclectic style ranging from blues to chanson and soul.Charles Pasi, passionate about music, on ledauphine.com, December 1, 2020, accessed September 1, 2022 He released a new album Elle in 2020, which was described as an album that mixes blues, jazz, and soul.
Discography
Mainly Blue (EP, 2006) Uncaged (2011) Sometimes Awake (2014) Ceci est la musique (2017) Elle (2020) Adamas (2025)
References