Debout sur le zinc

Debout sur le Zinc, whose name renders literally as “standing on the zinc,” came together as a multifaceted ensemble in France during 1996. Their fusion of traditional French tunes, rock, klezmer, dancehall, jazz, tango, and additional genres quickly yielded results: in the five years after issuing their self-titled debut album in 1999, the band established itself among France’s most sought-after live attractions. Four core members—Christophe Bastien on guitar and vocals, Simon Mimoun on vocals, violin, and trumpet, Cedric Ermolieff on drums and percussion, and Olivier Supice on banjo and vocals—first connected while still in high school, after which Romain Sassigneux was recruited to handle clarinet and guitar. Bassist William Lotvi completed the lineup upon joining in 1998, enabling work to begin on the initial recording. The second album, L’Homme a Tue-Tete, appeared in 2001 and earned both commercial success and critical praise, while the third long-player, Des Singes et des Moutons, followed in 2004. By the release of Les Promesses in 2006, the group had grown sufficiently popular to fill the Olympia music hall in Paris for the first time.