STEPHANE DIAMANTAKIOU

Bassist and composer originally from Marseille, Stéphane Diamantakiou has been based in Montreal since 2011. His practice explores a singular territory at the intersection of free improvisation, contemporary music creation and composition, seeking in sound a balance between abstraction and physical energy.

Trained at the Conservatoire, he developed early on an open approach to the double bass, moving freely across classical, jazz and contemporary repertoires. His years in Europe led him to share the stage with Gong, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Cécile McLorin Salvant, while an encounter with Barre Phillips grounded him durably in free improvisation as a language in its own right. In Montreal, he became actively engaged in the contemporary creation scene, collaborating with Ayelet Rose Gottlieb within Dream Keepers (2026 Opus Prize, World Music Album of the Year), Erika Angel, Jay Clayton, Jessica Moss, Ensemble SuperMusique and Black Ox Orkestar. A pivotal encounter with Hansford Rowe introduced him to the principles of Just Intonation, opening new compositional perspectives.

In 2021, he founded Le Double, a project for nine musicians born out of a residency at the Centre d'Expérimentation Musicale de Chicoutimi, exploring the articulation between sampling, improvisation and collective composition. The debut album was presented at the Festival International des Musiques Actuelles de Victoriaville in 2024. He is currently developing Thenatis, a new quintet creation.