Artist description Considered as one of the best bass player emerging from Canada, Sylvain Gagnon has extensive international touring and recording experience. He is a virtuoso of jazz bass playing and has experience in music from many continents and styles ranging from rock to standard jazz, from Carnatic (classical music from South India) to African music, from funk to Latin music, from solo to big band. He is a good music reader, can accompany any kind of artist with a minimum or no preparation, thanks to his professionalism and great versatility. His technical abilities and great musical sense have helped him build a strong reputation as a leader. Sylvain has recorded over 40 albums with musicians such as Joey Calderazzo, Jeff "Tain" Watts, James Gelfand, Jean-Pierre Zanella, Daniel Lavoie, Magella Cormier, Helmut Lipsky, played on over 70 jingles, 10 movie soundtracks, toured internationally with his own band and many internationally acclaimed musicians. He also appeared in many movies, teleseries and talk shows as a musician. In Hong Kong, he recorded and performed with numerous well known artists such as Jackie Cheung, Olivia Newton-John, William So, Priscilla Chan, Roman Tam, Choi Kom, Tiger Okoshi, Scott Hamilton, DD Jackson, Eugene Pao, and many more.

Music Style Jazz, Fusion, World, Pop

Musical Influences John Patitucci, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden

Similar Artists John Patitucci, Dave Holland

Artist History In 1975, Sylvain GAGNON starts playing electric bass. He studies with Rene Worst in Vancouver and attends a workshop with Charlie Haden in Boulder, Colorado. In 1981, he devotes his time to study classical bass with Dennis JAMES of the Montreal Symphonic Orchestra. In 1986, he goes to study in Paris at the CIM, then the most important European jazz school. He accompanies, during workshops, many well known artists such as Tal FARLOW, Ed THICKPEN and David LIEBMAN. From 1990 and 1992, he takes lessons with Don THOMPSON, John PATITUCCI et Dave HOLLAND. Many times grant holder of the Arts Council of Canada and from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Quebec, Sylvain GAGNON wins an honorific mention at the Jazz Alcan competition in 1992 for the quality of his playing and for his compositions. From1989 to 1991 and in 1995, he is the host bassist of the jam sessions of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. There, many great musicians such as Joshua REDMAN, Benny CARTER, Julian JOSEPH, Georges ARVANITAS, Michel PETRUCIANNI, Gary BARTON, David BENOÎT, Ed THIGPEN et Barry ALTSHULL can appreciate his playing. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation chooses Sylvain to represent Canada for a series of international events in Europe where they get to perform in live concerts broadcasted through Europe and Canada. Following his first quartet album, Crépuscule (nominated for best jazz album of the year at l'ADISQ in 1992), a second one, Readers of the Lost Chart (3 times nominee at l'ADISQ en 1995), launched in Canada on his own new label, LOST CHART RECORDS and in Japan on NIPPON CROWN, gets the attention of many Japanese magazines. He also does a video clip on "Notre?Dame?en?Fête", extract from this CD, and is regularly shown on Much Music. In October 1994, Sylvain GAGNON starts a musical collaboration with pianist Joey CALDERAZZO that will take them to many jazz festivals, radio recordings and a magnificent CD recording with drummer Jeff Tain Watts that reached 12th position on the US radio jazz charts. In 1996, he launches Simply Music with Joey CALDERAZZO et Jeff "Tain" WATTS ? both from Branford MARSALIS and Michael BRECKER's groups. This cd makes it in 12th position on the jazz charts in the USA. This same year, he participates at the recording of many CDs and tours that will take him twice to Asia and three times to Europe. A 75 minutes TV program is dedicated to him and is regularly broadcasted in Canada and in France. His quartet does a tour of the Canadian's major jazz festivals during the summer of 1997. In 1997, 1998 and 1999, he records over 30 albums as a producer and/or as a musician and did about 15 tours in Asia, Europe, North- America and in the Caribbean. His record label, Disques Lost Chart Records, is dedicated to the production of top quality jazz CDs. His label World Chart, is dedicated to top world music projects. Finally, Best Music Production Limited promotes local and foreign musicians internationally, especially in five star hotels of Asia.

Instruments upright bass, electric fretted and frettless 6 strings

Albums Crepuscule, Readers Of The Lost Chart, Simply Music, New Friends

Press Reviews "... the virtuosity of fusion-jazz..." (LE SOLEIL) "High flying bassist and talented composer..."(PAROLES ET MUSIQUES) "... a solid leader..." (BASSICS) "... Gagnon is musically and technically supreme." (JAZZ IN TIME) "Sylvain's fretless tone on Paix Nucléaire is incredibly warm and expressive, and his emotion-drenched solo, which climbs to the top of the 6-string range, is filled with slow slides and creative runs. (BASS PLAYER MAGAZINE) "Sylvain Gagnon is a major actor of the Montreal jazz scene." (VOIR

Location Hong Kong, none - Hong Kong

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