Pascal Comelade

The Profile

French‑Catalan composer and multi‑instrumentalist (born 1955), active since the late 1970s. Known for playful, toy‑instrument orchestrations and leading the Bel Canto Orquestra, with collaborations including Robert Wyatt and PJ Harvey.

Reviews highlight Comelade’s use of accordions, toy pianos, music boxes, kazoo, bicycle bell, and more; live reinterpretations of “Smoke on the water,” “Honky Tonk Woman,” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties”; a duet with Robert Wyatt on September Song; collaborations with PJ Harvey; a large discography; and a style he terms “musique” colored by folk, rumba, tango, chanson, and Breton shades. One review notes he lives in a small village in the Pyrenees.

Four upbeat reviews spotlight Pascal Comelade’s playful, folk-tinged instrumentals and toy‑piano wizardry. Highlights include live reinterpretations and originals, with nods to chanson/Breton moods. Collaborations with Robert Wyatt and PJ Harvey are noted. Expect accordions, music boxes, and unexpected covers delivered with wit.