Dominique Pifarély modernized jazz violin, combining extraordinary technical skills with an inclusive idea of music-making. He has been soon very in-demand as a straight jazz player, but was soon in some of the more adventurous groups in Europe, too, including Mike Westbrook’s band, Martial Solal, the Vienna Art Orchestra, Joachim Kühn…
In 1985, Pifarély started to work with reedist Louis Sclavis and in 1992, they formed the Sclavis/Pifarély Acoustic Quartet, featuring guitarist Marc Ducret and bassist Bruno Chevillon, and recorded for ECM. In the late 1990s, he started a duo work with pianist François Couturier, and they recorded a prominent album (Poros, ECM, 1997).
In the 2000’s, Dominique Pifarély leads different personal projects. Impromptu is a development of the collaboration with François Couturier, adding counter tenor Dominique Visse and a work on contemporary poetry. He initiated numerous text/music experiences with writers, poets, and actors.
In his mature style, the classical violin tradition and the swing lessons combine with a contemporary European sonic exploration ; his technical mastery and quick imagination allow him to move seamlessly between these worlds.
Dominique Pifarély is now focusing on his new quartet with Antonin Rayon on piano, Bruno Chevillon on double bass and François Merville on drums (“Tracé provisoire”, ECM, 2016), and gives solo recitals (Time before and Time after, ECM 2015). Then he is part, since 2015, of the collaborative trio Sclavis/Pifarély/Courtois (“Asian fields variations”, ECM, 2017).
He regularly performs in whole Europe, and has been touring in USA, Canada, Japan, India, Middle East, Latin America or Africa.