衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

Taiwanese-French jazz artist Estelle PERRAULT will present music from her new album Promises with her quintet. Known for her warm voice and thoughtful songwriting, PERRAULT shares a personal story shaped by movement, memory, and the idea of home.

At the heart of Promises is a decision she made long ago: that wherever life takes her, she would always return to Kaohsiung—the place she calls home. This promise became a thread that runs through the entire album.

The music blends reflections on identity and connection, exploring the different kinds of promises we make—to others, and to ourselves. Some are kept, some are broken, and some change us over time. In Promises, each song captures a moment, a feeling, or a truth that PERRAULT has lived.

It's a collection of stories told through jazz—honest, intimate, and grounded in a deep sense of place.

  Program  

I Know You Wish

Right or Wrong

Day by Day (Cover - reharmonized)

In the Sunshine

Promises

Gaslight

A Heart's Desires

※The presenter and performers reserve the right to change the repertoire.

  Creative and Production Team  

Vocal｜Estelle PERRAULT

Piano｜Rob CLEARFIELD

Saxophone｜Matt CHALK

Bass｜Sam F'HIMA

Drums｜Théo MOUTOU

  Artists Introduction  

Vocal｜Estelle PERRAULT

Born between Taiwan and France, PERRAULT grew up navigating two cultures that shaped both her identity and her music. From a young age, she was immersed in Taiwanese musical traditions, where singing was a family ritual, while also absorbing the influence of American pop music, which was everywhere in Taiwan. After moving to France, she discovered new musical horizons — from Afro-Caribbean rhythms to jazz — which became a natural extension of her curiosity and a major source of inspiration.

In 2020, she released her debut album Lots of Love (self-produced), recorded with pianist Alain JEAN-MARIE, marking her first steps on the French jazz scene. The following year, she wrote and released Dare That Dream (AD Music) during lockdown — a project that allowed her to dive deeper into songwriting and composition, alongside musicians Carl-Henri MORISSET and Elie MARTIN-CHARRIÈRE. Her latest project, created with American pianist and guitarist Rob CLEARFIELD and saxophonist Matt CHALK, blends jazz, pop, and R&B influences under the Quai Son Records label. Inspired by artists like Minnie RIPERTON, Carmen McRAE, and Marlena SHAW, PERRAULT crafts music that crosses genres and borders — shaped as much by her roots as by the people and sounds she's encountered along the way. Through songwriting, she searches for coherence — a way to make sense of the distance between places, cultures, and the past she carries.

Piano｜Rob CLEARFIELD

A gifted pianist, guitarist, composer, and improviser, Rob CLEARFIELD grew up immersed in music. From an early age, he was part of amateur bands, gospel choirs, and South American guitar ensembles. He later moved to Chicago to study at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and spent over 15 years deeply involved in the local music scene. CLEARFIELD has performed with renowned artists such as John WETTON, Patricia BARBER, Howard LEVY, Makaya McCRAVEN, Marquis HILL, Eighth BLACKBIRD, and Itamar BOROCHOV.

To date, he has released nine albums of original music, including collaborations with saxophonist Caroline DAVIS and drummer Quin KIRCHNER. His latest release, Ashes and Diamonds, is a five-movement suite exploring transitions between eras and the dual nature of crises. CLEARFIELD's talents also extend to composing for theater productions, short films, and symphonic orchestras. He now lives in Marseille, France.

Saxophone｜Matt CHALK

Born in 1992 in Kansas City, Kansas, Matt CHALK is a saxophonist, composer, painter, and multidisciplinary artist. At 18, he moved to New York to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music under Reggie WORKMAN and Jaleel SHAW. During his ten years in New York, CHALK became a regular in clubs like Smalls, Smoke, and Fat Cat, performing with some of the city's most promising jazz talents.

Today, he tours and records with the ensemble SCOPES, whose latest critically acclaimed album Age of Reason was recently released. As a visual artist, CHALK's works are part of private collections across Europe and North America. He was awarded the 2021 Artist-in-Residence at the French-American Creative Exchange (FACE) in La Courneuve, France.

Bass｜Sam F'HIMA

Born in 1992 to a music-loving family, Samuel F'HIMA is a French double bassist and electric bassist. He began studying double bass at age 6 at the Noisy-le-Grand Conservatory. By 2009, he continued his studies at the Aubervilliers Regional Conservatory (CRR), earning diplomas in both classical and jazz by 2010. He later attended the PESM Bourgogne in Dijon and the Didier Lockwood Center for Music in Dammarie-les-Lys, where he received the Award of Excellence in 2016.

F'HIMA began performing professionally on the Paris jazz scene in 2012. Today, he plays with several groups including Daïda, Arnaud DOLMEN, Photon(s), and the Clélya Abraham Quartet. Seeking diversity, he has also collaborated with rapper Emcee AGORA and joined the group Pléthore. His recordings include albums like Adjusting (Arnaud DOLMEN, 2022), La Source (Clélya ABRAHAM, 2022), NoJazz Play Jazz (NoJazz, 2022), La Passion du Cri (Daïda, 2021), Peace (Emcee AGORA, 2020), Romantic Sketches (Fred PERREARD, 2019), and Introspection (Alex MONFORT, 2018). In June 2021, his group Daïda won Best Group at the La Défense National Jazz Competition. F'HIMA has played with a wide range of artists, including Baptiste TROTIGNON, Yosvany TERRY, Ernesto SIMPSON, Irving ACAO, Lukmil PEREZ, Leonardo MONTANA, Arnaud DOLMEN, David LINX, Didier LOCKWOOD, Camille BERTAULT, Oum, and many more.

Drums｜Théo MOUTOU

Originally from Réunion Island, Théo MOUTOU was born into a family of musicians and started his musical journey early. He entered the conservatory at age 7, studying drums, music theory, and jazz.
At 17, he moved to Toulouse, where he pursued musicology at Toulouse II - Jean Jaurès University, jazz and drums at the Toulouse Regional Conservatory (CRR), training at the Dante Agostini Drum School, and studied further at the Higher Institute of Arts (isdaT). In 2017, he moved to Paris, first as a jazz student at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance (CNSMDP), and later as a drum instructor. MOUTOU performs across many genres — jazz, pop, soul, funk, psychedelic rock, folk-rock, world music, and baroque — bringing his personal touch and musical sensibilities to every project. His influences range from André CECCARELLI to Thundercat.

  Sponsor  

  Cultural Development Partner