Stéphane Guillaume, Sedef Erçetin, Antoine Banville, Maria Papapetropoulou
Biography Stéphane Guillaume, Sedef Erçetin, Antoine Banville, Maria Papapetropoulou
Stéphane Guillaume
began taking music lessons at the tender age of 17. His early career was marked by performances alongside renowned musicians such as Jean Bonal, Jacques Vidal and Ted Hawke. At the same time, Guillaume pursued classical training in saxophone at the prestigious Paris Conservatoire, where he was awarded first prize.
A key moment in Guillaume's career was his time in François Jeanneau's jazz class. Under Jeanneau's guidance, Guillaume had the opportunity to collaborate with legendary artists such as Randy Weston, George Russell and Dave Liebman.
In September 1994, Stéphane Guillaume's career took a decisive step forward when he joined the Orchestre National de Jazz under Laurent Cugny. The Orchestre National de Jazz has also facilitated collaborations with such notable musicians as Lucky Peterson, Tommy Smith, Maria Schneider and Enrico Rava.
In 1996, Stéphane Guillaume released his first album, ‘Miage’, marking his first attempt to make a name for himself as a solo artist. Guillaume has taken part in a variety of musical projects, including the ‘Y'aka Sax’ quartet (1996-2002), David Patrois' quintet (1997-1999) and the Big-Band Lumière led by Laurent Cugny (1997-2001).
Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Guillaume's career was marked by a series of key collaborations and performances that highlighted his adaptability and talent. He played with Patrice Caratini's Ensemble Jazz (1997-2003), Stéphane Huchard's quintet (1997-2003) and Umberto Pagnini's ‘Cricca’ (1998-2002).
One of the highlights of Guillaume's career was his collaboration with legendary French singer Claude Nougaro on the ‘Embarquement Immédiat’ tour (2000-2001). Guillaume also became a key member of the Paris-Jazz Big-Band, led by Pierre Bertrand and Nicolas Folmer, from 2000 to 2012. In addition, his performances with Didier Lockwood's ‘New Quartet’ (2002-2007) consolidated his reputation as a versatile and innovative saxophonist.
As his career has progressed, Stéphane Guillaume has continued to take on leadership roles in various ensembles. He was a member of Christian Escoudé's Septet (2003-2006), Christophe Wallemme's Quintet (2003-2007) and Hervé Sellin's Tentet (2005-2009). In 2008, Guillaume took part in Vince Mendoza's Blauklang Project.
The release of ‘Windmills Chronicles’ in 2009 marked an important milestone in Stéphane Guillaume's career. The album was a critical success, earning Guillaume the prestigious Django Reinhardt Award for Best French Musician of the Year, as well as the award for Best French Album of the Year.
These awards not only cemented his place among the greats of French jazz, but also highlighted his contributions to the world jazz community. The recognition he has received from the Académie du Jazz is a testament to his talent, hard work and dedication to his art.
