French composer , Armand Amar spent his childhood in Morocco. Imbued with the sounds of instruments considered exotic at the time, the pull of that “world apart” exercised by extra-European music soon fascinated him. Autodidact, he was constantly searching for physical experiences in the early years of his musical apprenticeship, whereas in the following years his search became a commitment; he learned to play tablas, discovered the zarb and congas, and studied under various masters of traditional and classical music in India, Iran and Cuba. Armand’s discovery of dance in 1976, following an invitation from South African choreographer and trained anthropologist Peter Goss was another decisive moment. Suddenly what he’d been looking for was right there in front of him – a direct relationship to music, the power to improvise freely, the advantages of authentic, on-the-spot exchanges. Since then he has worked with various choreographers from the different branches of contemporary dance (Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Carolyn Carlsson, Francesca Lattuada, etc.). Two challenging new ventures broadened his scope even further: his involvement in Patrice Chéreau’s actors’ school and his teaching at the Conservatoire National Supérieur [Higher National Music School] focussed on the relationship between music and dance. The musical and spiritual influences at play show through in his film scores, such as that of Costa-Gavras’ Amen., nominated for the French César/Best Soundtrack of the Year Award 2003, and The Axe by the same director (2005), The Trail by Eric Valli (2005), Radu Mihaileanu’s Live and Become (nominated for the French César/Best Soundtrack of the Year Award 2006), Rachid Bouchareb’s Days of Glory (Indigènes, nominated for the French César/Best Soundtrack of the Year Award 2007), Julie Gavras’ Blame it on Fidel (all 2006), Laurent Herbiet’s Mon Colonel, Marco Carmel’s Comme ton père, Gilles de Maistre’s The First Cry (all 2007), Gilles Legrand’s La jeune fille et les loups, Diane Kurys’ Sagan (2008). He is currently working on the music for Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s first full-length film, Home, produced by Luc Besson, Costa-Gavras’ next feature film, Eden est à l’Ouest and Radu Mihaileanu’s Le concert. His record label naïve recently devoted a first retrospective to his film scores in the form of a double album. In 1994 in partnership with his friend Alain Weber, he founded the record label Long Distance for traditional, world and classical music; it now boasts more than 60 titles. The CDs of his own music are released by naïve, Long Distance, and Universal. Nominations and awards: Amen by Costa-Gavras: nominated for the César/Best Soundtrack of the Year Award 2003 Plus loin by Michelin, directed by Eric Valli: Special SACEM Award 2003 for the best original music Live and Become by Radu Mihaileanu: nominated for the César/Best Soundtrack of the Year Award 2006 Days of Glory by Rachid Bouchareb: nominated for the César/Best Soundtrack of the Year Award 2007
2020
Long Distance Productions
20xFile, MP3, Album, 320
2018
Long Distance
CD, Album
2018
2017
Milan
CD, Album
2016
Long Distance
2xCD, Album
2016
2.4.7. Films
15xFile, AAC, Album, 256
2015
Gaumont
CD, Album
2015
Long Distance
CD, Album
2015
2014
Long Distance
CD, Album
2014
Long Distance
CD, Album
2014
Rambling Records
CD, Album
2013
Long Distance
2xCD, Album
2013
2012
Columbia
CD, Album
2011
Columbia
CD, Album
2011
Long Distance
CD, Album
2011
Columbia, Sony Music
CD, Single, Promo, Enh
2010
UGC YM
CD, Album
2010
Long Distance
CD, Album
2010
Columbia
CD, Album
2009
Naïve, Naïve
CD, Album
2009
Naïve
CD, Album
2009
2009
2008
2008
2008
2007
Naïve
CD, Comp
2007
Naïve, Naïve
CD, Comp
2007
2007
2006
Long Distance
CD, Album
2006
Naïve
CD, Album
2006
AZ
CD, Album
2006
2005
Naïve, Naïve
CD, Album + CD, Album, RE
2005
2004
Naïve
CD, Album
2004
Hopscotch Entertainment
DVD-V
2003
Long Distance
CD, Album
2003
Galerie
CD
2002
Long Distance
CD, Album
2002
Femios Records
CD, Album
2001
Femios Records
2xCD, Album
2000
Galerie
CD, Album
2000
Femios Records, Femios Records
CD, Album
2000
MCT
CD, Album
2000
Chappell World Recordings
CD
1999
Femios Records
CD, Album
1999
Femios Records, Femios Records
CD, Album
1998
MCT
CD, Album
1997
Femios Records
CD, Album, Comp
1996
Femios Records
CD, Album
1996
1993
Armand Amar
Cass
Armand Amar
Cass
2010
Naïve
CD, Album
2004
2003
1998
Long Distance
2xCD, Album
1998
Long Distance
CD, Album
1998
Virgin, Virgin
CD, Comp
1998
Virgin, Virgin
CD, Comp
1998
Long Distance
CD, Album
1998
Virgin, Virgin
CD, Comp
1997
1996
Real World Records
CD, Comp, Enh
1996
1994
1994
1994
1993
Long Distance
CD, Album
2024
Signum Classics
CD, Album
2017
Music Box Records (2)
CD, Album, Comp, Ltd
2017
2016
Long Distance
CD, Album
2015
Gaumont
2xLP, Comp, Ltd, Num, Promo
2009
Naïve
CD, Album
2002
2001
Long Distance
CD
2001
Long Distance
CD, Album
2000
Long Distance
2xCD, Comp
2000
1999
Institut Du Monde Arabe
CD, Album
1997
Virgin
2xCD, Comp
1997
1996
1988
Not On Label
LP
1985
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