NUBU

NUBU: the unexpected alliance between a forgotten instrument and a contemporary musical urgency. NUBU brings together the unlikeliest of pairings: a centuries-old wind instrument and the pulse of today’s experimental music.

Formed at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon, the quintet explores the full potential of the serpent—an ancestor of the tuba—through a project that blurs the lines between contemporary jazz, folk traditions, experimental soundscapes and Afro-descendant grooves. Half ritual, half performance, NUBU unfolds like a living organism: collective, evolving, and deeply organic.

An encounter at the crossroads of musical paths.

The five members of NUBU first met through their studies and collaborations at the CNSMD of Lyon. From these artistic intersections, the idea emerged: to create hybrid and vibrant musical forms with a highly unconventional setup. Each musician brings a distinct language, set of references, and tools. Together, they shape a group rooted in deep listening, open to surprise and to the unknown. This meeting of winds, strings, percussion and voice gives rise to a unique creative playground. At this crossroads, NUBU finds its pulse.

The serpent : an ancient instrument, the resonating core of the ensemble.

The serpent, played by Elisabeth Coxall, is coiled, demanding, and rare. It shapes posture, breath, and phrasing. Both spine and disturbance, the serpent becomes the sonic axis of the ensemble. Around it, NUBU gathers a flugabone (Victor Aufray), a trombone (Thibaut Du Cheyron), skin percussion (Guillaume Lys), and a double bass (Marion Ruault). This atypical formation is a fertile ground for invention. The heart of NUBU lies in textures, timbres, breaths—and in the free use of the human voice. Voices aren’t merely sung; they are treated as raw sound, enriched by yodels, spoken word, cries, and silences. Elisabeth Coxall’s singing navigates the high register with grace, drawing from Anglo-Saxon folk and Renaissance songs. Thus, the Nahash stands as the ensemble’s deep, beating core.

A collective sound: raw, physical, and alive.

In NUBU, the serpent defines and redefines musical roles. Neither soloist nor accompanist, it is the central line around which the sonic architecture is built. Brass instruments don’t form a section, but rather a constellation of unique voices. The serpent, flugabone, and trombone engage in a fluid dialogue with the double bass, percussion, and voices in a music that is both physical and richly textured. The writing remains open; the form, porous, ready to be transformed by the moment. NUBU works in layers, in erasures and overlays. Each musician contributes their breath, vulnerability, and awareness. Through this, NUBU forges a chamber music that is intuitive, shifting, embodied and profoundly of its time.

Jazz Migration #10

In 2024, NUBU was selected for Jazz Migration #10, a program led by AJC. This recognition acts as a springboard, amplifying the group’s visibility, expanding their professional networks, and multiplying their touring opportunities. With Jazz Migration #10, NUBU continues to assert its unique instrumentation and bold stage presence securing a firm place within the current jazz and creative music scene.

Sisters… debut album on the horizon

In 2025, NUBU will release Sisters, their bold and visceral debut album. Built around the ballad Sisters, the album revisits a tragic tale from British folklore and unfolds as a three-part sonic fresco. Blending original compositions, improvisation, and reimagined ancient songs, NUBU offers a music in constant transformation echoing the serpent, both rare instrument and symbol of metamorphosis. With ancestral percussion, processed voices, and hybrid textures, Sisters reveals the singular voice of a quintet ready to make the past resonate through a fiercely contemporary language.

Élisabeth Coxall

Trained in tuba, classical voice and jazz at CNSMD Lyon, Élisabeth Coxall also studied the serpent at CNSMD Paris. She performs with La Garde Républicaine, Pasdeloup, Lamoureux, and participates in music-theatre projects. As an educator for Démos (Philharmonie de Paris), she co-founded NUBU to explore musical freedom and innovation.

Victor Aufray

Multi-instrumentalist trained at CNSMD Lyon, Victor Aufray navigates classical, jazz yodel, and experimental scenes. Member of Octotrip and La Vertu, he collaborates on projects like Abysskiss and Morphing. A devoted improviser, he cultivates a sensitive and exploratory sound in collective projects such as NUBU.

Thibaut du Cheyron

Bridging classical and jazz, the trombone player performs with the Paris Opera, Radio France, ONJ and Ping Machine. Active in numerous ensembles, he combines rigorous orchestration with spontaneous improvisation. At NUBU, he develops a hybrid and deeply personal language.

Guillaume Lys

Percussionist trained at CNSMD Lyon, Guillaume Lys moves between classical, jazz, oral traditions, and experimental music. He collaborates with Le Balcon, Muzzix, GMEA, and Orchestre d’Île-de-France. As a NUBU founder, he explores textures, voice, and sensory engagement with a committed, tactile approach.

Marion Ruault

Double bassist trained at the Lyon Conservatory and Didier Lockwood’s school, Marion works across jazz, contemporary, and experimental fields. She has performed with Natacha Atlas, Sanseverino, and Scott Hamilton in Europe, the US, and Africa. Her work embraces transdisciplinarity through dance, performance, and pedagogy via the travelling festival Voicingers and the Tournesol association.