Gilles Renne


Gilles Renne is a French jazz-fusion guitarist and composer.

Biography

Gilles grew up in a family where art and culture hold an important place his father is the painter Guy Renne his mother Thérèse Renne teaches ancient letters and is a writer. He first started playing the guitar as an autodidact then obtained his admission to the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles from which he graduated in 1980. In 1984 he won the first prize for guitar at the national jazz competition in Paris, La Défense.

Career

Gilles Renne met saxophonist Philippe Sellam with whom he successively founded the jazz quartet Sellam-Renne Quartet in 1986, then in 1992 the "African Project", a group resulting from multiple musical encounters during tours in black Africa. This group which mixes Jazz with traditional African music will notably include the balafon player Aly Keïta, Linley Marthe, . At the beginning of the 90s, he will be the guitarist of Bext'tet the group of organist Emmanuel Bex and will also be part of the Big Band "Quoi de neuf docteur".
In 1999, he founded with organist Philippe Petit the quartet "Myster Hyde", then "Jazz Runners", with which he toured in 2012 in Venezuela which resulted in a feature film "Venez jouer là".
In 2006, with Philippe Sellam, he created "No Spirit", a "Jazz-groove" quartet, including and Christophe Bras.
As sidemen or as a guest Gilles Renne had the opportunity to play with Rhoda Scott, Manu Dibango, Souad Massi, Linley Marthe, Dominique Di Piazza, Hadrien Ferraud, Jean-Philippe Fanfan, Stephane Huchard,, etc.
In addition to his activities as a musician, he leads numerous workshops and master-classes around the world.

Discography

GillesRenne has released or participated in more than thirty albums. Here below are the main ones.

As a leader or co-leader

Sellam-Renne Quartet, Rendez-vous,1990.
  • Quoi neuf docteur, Le retour, 1991.Sellam-Renne Quartet, Vent d'Est,1992.Quoi neuf docteur, En attendant la pluie,1993.Sellam-Renne / African Project, Afrique, 1993Sellam-Renne / African Project, Embrasse moi, 1995Sellam-Renne / African Project, Traditional Odyssey avec le bassiste Lynley Marthe, 1996Sellam-Renne / African Project, Abidjan, 1998Mister Hyde Quartet, Mister Hyde,1999Sellam-Renne / African Project, Live à Saint-Louis Sénégal, 2000Mister Hyde Quartet, Back to the beat, 2002Mister Hyde Quartet, Ultime atome Live, 2005Sellam-Renne / African Project, Sortilége Live Paris,2006Sellam- Renne / No Spirit, No Spirit, 2008Sellam- Renne / No Spirit, Give me 5, 2011
  • Jazz Runners "Funky ways" Live Paris, 2016
  • Hammond Legend " Black magic woman ", 2018
  • ''Hammond Legend " Sittin' on the dock of the B3 ", 2020''

As sideman

Quoi de Neuf Docteur (Big band)

Le retour, 1991.
  • ''En attendant la pluie, 1993.''

With Emmanuel Bex

Enfance, Bextet,1991
  • ''Harlem nocturne, Jean- Michel Proust, 1996''

With Stefan Patry

Organic Jungle, 1998Live au Duc des Lombards, 2002
  • ''Singer,2012''

With Others

Rialzu Tribute to the mother of groove
  • Obrigado, René Sopa quintet, 2011
  • ''Rose & Blues, Rose quartet, 2017''

Films & DVD

  • DVD  "Live in Séoul".
  • DVD  "African Project".
  • FILM "Venez jouer là".