Bio

Jérôme Lefebvre was profoundly touched by the recordings of Big Bill Broonzy, Teddy Buckner, Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, Antonio Vivaldi, JS Bach, LV Beethoven, Maurice Ravel, Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky …

When he discovered the accordionists Yvette Horner and André Verschuren at the age of 7 through the blue and soft plastic 45 rpm disc offered by the neighborhood gas station attendant, he expressed his desire to play music. Too small to handle an accordion, he started studying violin when he was seven years old, classical guitar when he was eleven, then jazz.

With his work, he’s had the chance to meet many different musicians, such as (among others) John Abercrombie, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Liebman, Marc Johnson, John Taylor, Peter Erskine, Mc Juris, as well as Kenny Barron, Lee Konitz, Kenny Werner, Joelle Leandre... All of which have inspired Jérôme’s musical identity.

In his work, Jérôme likes to consider harmony, time and rhythm as sound objects that can be shaped, put in and out of the light, and transformed while playing. He keeps challenging his musical standards by opening jazz to different aesthetics, and developing new directions, such as using odd metrics. In his relationship with other musicians, he finds it very stimulating to question melodies and harmonic progressions.

 

He does composition and arrangement for different kinds of projects, from visual presentations, to dance and poetry. He also has an extensive experience setting text to music and occasionally he will use his voice. However, Jérôme keeps his art playful and open to different forms and types of performances. Each new adventure is an opportunity for him to grow his skill.

Jérôme’s contribution to music is an eclectic one, expressed through his unique personality in his approach to acoustic and electric guitar.

 

His playing is free and full of mischief, and he uses it to share with his audience the thrill and joy of being in the moment.