SAXOPHONE – STEPHANE GUILLAUME

Stéphane Guillaume began to rub shoulders with the world of jazz musicians at the age of 17, while he was awarded a 1st prize from the Paris Conservatory in classical saxophone. He would blow out his 20 candles on tour with the Orchestre National de Jazz, in which Laurent Cugny hired him in 1994.

Now a sought-after sideman, Stéphane Guillaume would go on to participate in numerous projects, notably alongside Patrice Caratini, Claude Nougaro, Didier Lockwood, the “Paris Jazz Big Band”, Peter Erskine, Vince Mendoza… He obviously did not neglect his career as a leader, producing five albums under his own name.

In 2009, the Académie du Jazz awarded him the prestigious Django Reinhardt prize for the best French jazz artist, as well as the prize for the best French jazz album for Windmills Chronicles.

He is currently a professor at the CMDL (Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood); he notably directs the students’ Big Band there.