Richard Poher is a Paris Jazz musician, composer, and all-around artist. As an independent creator and determined individual, Poher finds himself in a constant search to master his genres of artistry. Once a goal is set, his focus becomes clear. That includes even the most complex tasks like making Didgeridoos from raw elements. Similarly, he enjoys experimenting with items like distortion pedals to create new sounds. He once said, as a youngster, I loved creating with “duct tape” or “scotch” as the French would say
A Bored Teenager
As a child, Richard knew he wanted to be an artist. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, he had a desire to make and create anything and everything. He recalls how every part of his grandfather’s home depicted some form of self-made artistry. But Richard’s musical life didn’t always come to him easily. During his early teens, he found himself becoming bored with classical piano. He was ready to quit when someone suggested he take a jazz course. Suddenly, his world became brighter. In this first video, you will hear the details of this story.
Audio Segment: Summarized French Response from Richard Poher – Part 1
The Alternative Sounds of Adulthood
Like David Bindi Hudson, Poher was constantly being introduced to new ways of making music. During an outing with friends, a female friend told him about the Didgeridoo. She said, “you neigh into it like a horse”, it’s that simple. Once he tried it, he found something. The wind instrument resonated. A new path of discovery began. Trying a variety of materials such as PVC tubes, bamboo, and other materials, he was still listening for “his sound”. It would be years before he heard what he wanted to hear.
The premier album “Constellations” took many years to be born. Some reasons were adult life and the challenges of effortlessly playing the piano in combination with the didgeridoo. During this time frame, he finally attained “his didgeridoo sound”. With the help of Jean-Yves Redor, owner of WOODSLIDE, Poher found his instrument. It was a custom-made adjustable didgeridoo made with brass and eucalyptus. In the video interview, you will see an image of his prized Didge.
Audio Segment: Summarized French Response from Richard Poher – Part 2
Future Aspirations
Once the solo album, “Constellations,” was released in May 2025, many more goals started flooding his mind. One such goal he recently finished. He performed the premiere album release concert at the renowned Jazz Club, Sunset Sunside, on September 10th. This took place amidst transportation strikes that stalled much of Paris, France. However, Richard’s dreams are bigger than this one day. He hopes to bring his music to the countryside of France. He desires to bridge musical genres by playing alongside village orchestras. The instruments will create a unique sound that will appeal to young people and adults alike. As Richard Poher mentions, wrapping up our interview, “the music…it’s about connecting the cultures too…”
Audio Segment: Summarized French Response from Richard Poher – Part 3a
Audio Segment: Summarized French Response from Richard Poher – Part 3b
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Richard Poher’s YouTube Channel
15 Questions: Richard Poher’s Interview about the Didgeridoo