Sylvain Luc

Being immersed in a musical environment, he was regularly in touch with other musicians. One of them, the late Joe Rossi (who taught accordion to his elder brother Gérard), suggested that he to listen to (and offered him an LP of) Joe Pass (Portraits of Duke Ellington). This, and other encounters at his parents’ home (in particular guitar player Michel Ducau-Lucart, who offered him his first guitar), led him to listen to, and appreciate, jazz music.

He tours regularly but rarely appears in high-profile jazz festivals. He is particularly attracted to duets, but he has also been seen in trios (his own, plus Trio Sud, and on tour in 2009 with Steve Gadd and Richard Bona) and rarely with larger groups. His best-known works are the two duet albums with Biréli Lagrène, with whom he has toured many times.

Since 2006, he has regularly found himself in the quartets with Didier Lockwood, Victor Bailey and Billy Cobham. In 2009 he toured across Europe with Steve Gadd and Richard Bona.

In 1999, he founded the Trio Sud with André Ceccarelli and Jean-Marc Jafet, an ensemble with which he obtained the “French Music Award for Jazz” as best group of the year in 2003.

In 1988, he settled in Paris and became an arranger, composer and accompanist to many different French artists, including Catherine Lara, Michel Jonasz, all while being the bassist for the Richard Galliano trio.

He quickly became the most sought-after guitarist and bassist in the Basque region, and began to tour regularly. In 1985, he met Marie-Ange Damestoy and became her guitarist, arranger and composer. Two years later, in 1987, they were nominated revelation of the Printemps de Bourges.

At age 15, Luc formed a jazz group called the “Bulle Quintet,” and quickly gained recognition. Two years later, in 1982, he and his group were elected laureate of the international festival of San Sebastian.

Sylvain Luc (born 7 April 1965 in Bayonne, France) is a French jazz guitarist.