Marianne Dissard (born 20 May 1969 in France) is a singer, lyricist and author, and filmmaker who lived in the United States from 1985 to 2013, including

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

, Arizona from 1994 to 2013. "A central figure in Tucson's desert music community" with her unique hybrid of French

Chanson A (, , french: chanson française, link=no, ; ) is generally any lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music. The genre had origins in the monophonic s ...

and

Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...

, she is noted as a "charismatic performer" and for the quality of her lyrics.

Biography

Dissard was born in Tarbes, France, and grew up in the countryside near the French city of Toulouse before moving at the age of 16 to Mesa, Arizona in the United States following her parents. Dissard relocated to Los Angeles in 1989, briefly roommating to musician

Howe Gelb Howe Gelb (born October 22, 1956, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer based in Tucson, Arizona. Projects Gelb's approach to music is collaborative and he has recorded with a number of s ...

while attending film school at the University of Southern California. Active in Los Angeles' independent film-making scene, she collaborated with directors

Clay Walker (filmmaker) Clay Walker (born March 15, 1968) is an American filmmaker. Early life and education Walker was born in Memphis on March 15, 1968. He first attended college at Georgia Institute of Technology as an industrial design major and then transferre ...

and

Gregg Araki Gregg Araki (born December 17, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is noted for his heavy involvement with the New Queer Cinema movement. His film ''Kaboom (film), Kaboom'' (2010) was the first winner of the Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm. Ear ...

as well as French distribution company Haut Et Court with the selection of the "Inédits d'Amérique" film series by

Jon Jost Jon Stephen Jost (born 16 May 1943 in Chicago) is an American independent filmmaker. Born in Chicago to a military family, he grew up in Georgia, Kansas, Japan, Italy, Germany and Virginia. He began making films in January 1963 after being expel ...

Allison Anders Allison Anders (born November 16, 1954) is an American independent film director whose films include ''Gas Food Lodging'', ''Mi Vida Loca'' and ''Grace of My Heart''. Anders has collaborated with fellow UCLA School of Theater, Film and Televisio ...

and

Alex Cox Alexander B. H. Cox (born 15 December 1954) is an English film director, screenwriter, actor, non-fiction author and broadcaster. Cox experienced success early in his career with ''Repo Man (film), Repo Man'' and ''Sid and Nancy'', but since th ...

. In 1994, Dissard arrived in Tucson, Arizona to direct a documentary on

's alt-Americana band

Giant Sand Giant Sand is an American musical group from Tucson, Arizona, United States. Its most constant member is singer-songwriter Howe Gelb. The group started as Giant Sandworms in the late 1970s post-punk and paisley underground scenes. They later s ...

. She remained in Tucson for nearly two decades, taking an increasingly active part in the city's music scene, from lyricist and muse, to full-fledged producer and performer with her own touring career. Her eleven-year marriage with French musician Naïm Amor ended in 2008. Dissard left Tucson and moved back to Europe in 2013. She lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She was based in Ramsgate, England from 2017 to 2022, with one foot still in Tucson, Arizona and another in Paris, France.

Creative life

Dissard has collaborated with Tucson band

Calexico Calexico () is a city in southern Imperial County, California. Situated on the Mexican border, it is linked economically with the much larger city of Mexicali, the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California. It is about east of San Diego ...

's Joey Burns, who composed her first two albums: lo-fi demo debut 'Dedicated To Your Walls' (2006) and 'L'Entredeux' (2008), which he also produced. An album of bitter love songs, ''L'Entredeux'' won a Coup de Coeur prize from France's

Académie Charles Cros The Académie Charles Cros (Charles Cros Academy) is an organization located in Chézy-sur-Marne, France, that acts as an intermediary between government cultural policy makers and professionals in music and the recording industry. The academy is ...

in 2009 and was released in Europe by labels Le Pop Musik and Vacilando'68. Dissard's second album, ''L'Abandon'' (2011), also garnered worldwide accolades. Co-produced by BK-One, it tackled subject matters such as her hometown of Tucson,

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

, Mexican porn comic books and marriage. Third album ''The Cat. Not Me'' (2013) was co-written by Dissard and composer Sergio Mendoza of the Tucson mambo ensemble Orkesta Mendoza. Dealing with emotional and physical exhaustion, nightmares, addiction and botched connections, the nonetheless upbeat album premiered at

SXSW South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Te ...

in 2013, with Seattle producer/musician Budo and violinist

Andrew Joslyn Andrew Joslyn is an American composer, orchestrator, film scorer, and violinist in various genres. Early life and education Joslyn was born in Pomona, California, but moved to Washington with his family when he was three and grew up on Bainbridg ...

. The live studio album, 2009 ''Paris One Takes (City Series)'' ("a fantastic album") is the first in the ongoing Cities Series of albums recorded with band while on tours. ''Berlin Two Takes (City Series)'', the series' second album, was released in 2012 and included a duet with Belgian singer Arno. Third in the series, ''Cologne Vier Takes (City Series)'' was recorded in Germany in 2015 with guitarist

Yan Péchin Yan may refer to: Chinese states * Yan (state) (11th century – 222 BC), a major state in northern China during the Zhou dynasty * Yan (Han dynasty kingdom), first appearing in 206 BC * Yan (Three Kingdoms kingdom), officially claimed inde ...

and vocalist Allyson Ezell. A compilation album ''Cibola Gold: Best Of 2008-2015'' was released in 2016, tracklisted by BK-One. A series of covers recorded from 2020 to 2022 in collaboration with producer Raphael Mann were compiled as album 'Rappel' released by Frizz Records in April 2022. Marianne Dissard has performed from Europe to North America, China as well as Turkey, New Zealand and Australia. Most notable live shows include those at

The Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of th ...

in New York City in July 2010 and in Europe, at the Dortmund's KonzertHaus in 2010, but also a walking tour of the Pyrénées with donkey in 2010. Festival performances include New Zealand's Sounday in 2010,

South By Southwest South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...

in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, Joshua Tree Roots Festival, USA (2010) and

Split Works Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...

' Black Rabbit Festival in China (2011). As a documentary filmmaker, Marianne Dissard has collaborated with Tucson band

and

on the music documentary 'Drunken Bees' (1996) and with artists

Robbie Conal Robert "Robbie" Conal (born 1944) is an American guerrilla poster artist noted for his gnarled, grotesque depictions of U.S. political figures of note. A former hippie, he is noted for distributing his poster art throughout a city overnight us ...

('Post No Bills' (1993, co-producing credit), funded by ITVS/PBS),

Robert Kramer Robert Kramer (June 22, 1939 – November 10, 1999), born in New York and educated at Swarthmore College and Stanford University, was an American film director, screenwriter and actor who directed 19 films between 1965 and 1999, most of them ...

on camera for French TV-funded film 'Low Y Cool' (2006) and Keja Kramer. Dissard's first fiction film, 'Lonesome Cowgirls', a remake of

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

's 'Lonesome Cowboys', was conceived as a conceptual companion piece to album 'L'Abandon' and shot in Tucson, Arizona over a strictly-timed 24hrs period in June 2010. Several music videos and short video pieces are also credited to Dissard, including collaborations with Orkesta Mendoza, Bones & Beeker and Amor Belhom Duo. Marianne Dissard's performance collaborations with American-born, Berlin-based choreographer Ami Garmon have been presented at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (exhibit Hiver de l'Amour by

Purple Prose In literary criticism, purple prose is overly ornate prose text that may disrupt a narrative flow by drawing undesirable attention to its own extravagant style of writing, thereby diminishing the appreciation of the prose overall. Purple prose i ...

1994), Fondation Cartier (1994), Galleries D'Art Contemporain de Marseille (in residency, 1994) and Videoteca de Lisbon (1994),

Arte Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture. It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...

TV Lounge (2010), Dortmund Konzerthaus (2011), Zurich's

Rote Fabrik Rote Fabrik (''Red Factory'') is a former factory in the Wollishofen neighbourhood of Zürich, Switzerland. It is now used as a music venue and cultural centre. It is so named because the buildings are made of red brick, but also because left ...

(2011),

Tanz im August Tanz im August (; "Dance in August") is an annual festival for contemporary dance in Berlin. It was founded by Nele Hertling in West Berlin in 1988, and is now presented by the Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) theatre company on various stages in Berlin. ...

Festival in Berlin (2013). Solo performances in 2018-2019 include works for POW Festival Margate and Screaming Alley Ramsgate. As a lyricist, Marianne Dissard has written for Naïm Amor, Fredda,

Françoiz Breut 230px, Françoiz Breut (August 2010) Françoiz Breut (born 10 December 1969, in Cherbourg) is the stage name of Françoise Breut, a French illustrator and chanteuse of moody and melancholic pop. Breut got involved with music when her then-fianc� ...

, Giant Sand's

, Christian Ravaglioli, Allyson Ezell and herself. She was the main lyricist for French avant-pop duo Amor Belhom Duo. Her bilingual French-English poetry and writings have been published in ''

Spork A spork is a hybrid form of cutlery taking the form of a spoon-like shallow scoop with two to four fork-like tines. Its name is a portmanteau of spoon and fork. Spork-like utensils, such as the terrapin fork or ice cream fork, have been manuf ...

'' and other English-language literary magazines. Her first book ''Not Me'', a lauded memoir of her life struggles with eating disorders, was released in 2019. The book was adapted to the stage in 2018 with Megan Garrett-Jones, and toured in a walking tour of East Kent in 2019. All 2020 UK-wide theatrical performances of ''Not Me'' were cancelled by the pandemic. In 2020, Dissard turned to street photography, creating a first body of work entitled ''Hands, Faces, Ramsgate: The Year Christmas Was Cancelled.'' A public outdoor installation of the photographic series was presented in Ramsgate in summer 2021 followed by an invitation to exhibit at Turner Contemporary Gallery's 2021 Open and an invitation to join the roster of Ramsgate-based UK gallerist Laurent Delaye. In January 2022, the photos were exhibited in Paris at Louxor Cinema. Her first UK gallery solo show in summer 2022 was held at The Glasgow Gallery of Photography and the occasion of the publication of two photobooks.

Discography

Albums

* '' Rappel'' (covers) (2021) * '' Cibola Gold: Best Of 2008-2015'' (2016) * '' Cologne Vier Takes'' (City Series) (2015) * '' The Cat. Not Me'' (2014) * '' Berlin Two Takes'' (City Series) (2012) * '' L'Abandon'' (2011) * '' Paris One Takes'' (City Series) (2010) * '' L'Entredeux'' (2009) * '' Dedicated To Your Walls. May They Keep Blooming'' (2006)

EPs

* ''Won't You Please'' (2022) * ''Limited-edition'' (2009), 7" split single with Desing * ''Limited-edition'' (2008), 7″ split single with Alaska in Winter * ''Limited-edition'' (2006), 7″ four songs from "Dedicated To Your Walls"

Compilations and contributions

* I Saved Latin, A Wes Anderson Tribute - American Laundromat Records (2014) * Tucson Songs – Le Pop Musik (2011) * Rough Guide to Paris Lounge – Rough Guides (2011) * Le Pop 6 – Le Pop Musik (2010) * Eight for Matisse – Barbes Records / MOMA (2010) * Le Pop 5 – Le Pop Musik (2009) * Ballade En France – Universal Australia (2009) * Le Pop Les Filles – Le Pop Musik (2008) * Trikont's Christmas compilation (2008) * Christmas in Tucson – independent (2007) * Wish You – Trikont Records (2007) with Amparo Sanchez * Kris Kristofferson tribute – independent (2006) * Filles Fragiles – Filles Sourires (2006) * Loving Takes Its Toll, a Tribute to

Kath Bloom Katherine Bloom is an American folk songwriter based in Litchfield, Connecticut. Biography The daughter of oboist Robert Bloom, Bloom grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, where she studied the cello as a child and started playing the guitar when ...

on Chapter Music (2006)

Collaborations – lyrics

* On Christian Ravaglioli's albums "Il giovane Valzer" (2014) and "Ti Confido Un Segreto", including single "Love Is Love" (2018) with Sara Jane Morris * On Vanessa Philippe's album "My Man" (2014) * On Fredda's album "L'Ancolie" (2012) * On Naïm Amor's EP '' Introducing...'' (2008) * With

Amparo Sánchez Amparanoia is the pseudonym of Spanish singer/guitarist Amparo Sánchez combining her first name with the word 'paranoia'. It was also the name of the band she fronted from 1996 to 2006. Debut album, ''El Poder de Machín'', has been described a ...

(2008) on track * On

's album "All Over The Map" * On Naïm Amor's album '' Mistake Love'' (2005) * On Amor Belhom Duo's album "Live in Tucson" (2001) * On Amor Belhom Duo's album "Self-titled" (1999) * On Amor Belhom Duo's album "Wavelab Performance" (1998)

Collaborations – singing

* "The Best" duo with

The Inspector Cluzo ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

(2018 and 2019) * On Christian Ravaglioli's album "Il giovane Valzer" (2014) and "Ti confido un segreto" (2018) * "Un Gros Chat" duo with

Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a s ...

(2012) * Noah and the Megafaun – (2011) * Ultra – Brian Lopez (2011) * Ballad of Cable Hogue – on "Hot Rail" by

(2000) * Elevator Baby – on Tête A Tete" by ABBC ( Amor Belhom Duo &

) (2001)

Collaborations – producing

* Orso Jesenska - Album "Effacer La Mer" (2014) * Vanessa Philippe - Album "My Man" (2014)

Bibliography

* ''Not Me'' (2018) Memoir

Filmography

* ''Tortue'' (2016), 4 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor. * ''World Behind'' (2015), 4 min music video for Bones & Beeker. Director, editor. * ''Je Ne Le Savais Pas'' (2014), 4 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor. * ''Election'' (2014), 3 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor. * ''Mouton Bercail'' (2013), 3 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor. * ''Am Letzen'' (2013), 3 min music video for Dissard album "The Cat. Not Me". Director, producer, editor. * ''Close Your Eyes And Add A Touch of Nothing'' (2014), full-length video of Ami Garmon's and Frank Willens' dance performance. Director. * ''Mambo in the Dark'' (2012), 2 min music video for "Mambo Mexicano" by Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta. Director, editor. * ''Lonesome Cowgirls'' (2011), 52 min conceptual video remake of

's "Lonesome Cowboys". Director, producer, actor. * ''Eté, Hiver'' (2011), 5 min music video for Dissard album "L'Abandon". Director, producer, editor, actor. * ''The One And Only'' (2011), 5 min music video for Dissard album "L'Abandon". Director, producer, editor, actor. * ''Les Draps Sourds'' (2008), 3 min music video for Dissard album "L'Entredeux". Director, producer, actor. * ''Dublin: Celtic Traveler'' (2001), 52 min documentary for TV Breitzh, France. Director. * ''Reminds Me'' (2011), 4 min music video for Amor Belhom Duo. Director, producer, editor. * ''Low Y Cool'' (1997), 52 min documentary for Planête, France with

on camera. Director. * ''Low Y Cool (short)'' (1995), 8 min documentary. Director, producer, editor. * ''Drunken Bees'' (1995–2005), 30 min documentary on

. Director, producer, editor. * ''Post No Bills'' (1993), 57 min documentary on

, funded for PBS by

ITVS ITVS (Independent Television Service) is a service in the United States which funds and presents documentaries on public television through distribution by PBS and American Public Television, new media projects on the Internet, and the weekly seri ...

. Co-producer, sound recordist.

References

External links

Palmares 2009 Académie Charles Cros

New Zealand Herald review 'L'Abandon' 2011

MOMA, NYC performance 2010

Venus Magazine review 'Paris One Takes' 2010

RFI Radio France International on Tucson

Official Site

Pitchfork album review 'L'Entredeux' 2009

Blurt Online review 'Paris One Takes' 2010
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dissard, Marianne French women singers Americana musicians 1969 births Living people French film directors French songwriters French music video directors French women film directors People from Tarbes USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni