Patrice Caratini

Patrice Caratini is a French double bassist, composer and conductor, born on 11 July 1946 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine, France).

His career began in Parisian clubs where he played jazz with Michel Roques and Franco Manzecchi. Other musicians then joined him, such as pianists Georges Arvanitas, Martial Solal and Mal Waldron (the record "Ursula" with Franco Manzecchi in 1969 on Musica Records) as well as trombonist Slide Hampton. In 1976, he formed a duo with guitarist Marc Fosset, later joined by accordionist Marcel Azzola. Together they accompanied Stéphane Grappelli for over ten years. He led the jazz orchestra that accompanied Maxime Le Forestier's "violet album", particularly on the song Le fantôme de Pierrot. He also accompanied Maxime Le Forestier on double bass at the 1973 Olympia concert and on the Grand Échiquier Spécial Lino Ventura broadcast of 31 May 1979.

Alongside bandoneon player Juan José Mosalini and pianist Gustavo Beytelmann, he also plays contemporary tango.

In 1980, he formed an eleven-piece ensemble and composed for himself and other groups. In 1992, he was actively involved in founding the Union des Musiciens de Jazz (UMJ). In 2007, he created Xocoatl in Sceaux (Hauts-de-Seine), a work for large choir, jazz orchestra and narrator with the Chœur Nicolas de Grigny.

In 2003, together with Jean-Rémy Guédon, he founded the Grands Formats association, a federation of orchestras bringing together professional jazz and improvised music ensembles with artistic projects. Its aim is to promote the development and profile of these orchestras in France and internationally.

Patrice Caratini received the Sacem Grand Prix du Jazz on 10 December 2007.

Patrice is the father of clarinettist Clément Caratini and actor Louis Caratini.