GILLES GRIVOLLA

GILLES GRIVOLLA Biography

Coming from a family of musicians, I began my musical education with my father—an orchestra conductor and choir director—starting with the study of piano and then violin. It was at the age of 15 that I chose the saxophone, joining the Conservatory of Marseille and later orienting myself toward the world of jazz and improvised music.

After training at the CMCN in Nancy (MAI), and then at Berklee College of Music in Boston, I have since followed an intense and diverse professional path, rich in collaborations with numerous artists of both regional and international stature.

After many years living abroad, particularly in the United States and Venezuela, I had the opportunity to work on stage and in the studio alongside artists such as Jimmy Bosch, Oscar D’Leon, Orlando Watussi, Cheo Feliciano, Antonio Sanchez, Mariannick Saint Ceran, Alfredo Naranjo, Biella Da Costa, Zumbao, Maria Rivas, Joel Uriola, Orlando Poleo, Grupo Madera, Accoules Sax, SafSap, Bituaya, Frankie Vasquez, Yolanda Rivera, Bijan Chemirani, Nene Quintero, Fabiola Jose, Cyril Achard, Pibo Marquez, Laure Donnat, Bruce Gertz, Zebda, Pedro Barboza, Diabloson, Ray de la Paz, Cyril Benhamou, Pablo Espinoza, Leonel Ruiz, Alexis Tcholakian, Javier Campos, Chiara Civello, Pascal Versini, Luisito Quintero, Jorge Glem, Antonio Mazzei, Ana Kobayachi, Nicolas Folmer, Christophe Dal Sasso, and others.

I have taken part in numerous recording projects across a wide variety of genres, and I have also worked as a performer, arranger, and producer in the audiovisual field, for television and cinema (TF1, M6, Arte, Vertigo, France Télévisions, TVES, Ávila TV, VTV, etc.).

While fulfilling my career as a performing musician, I have always dedicated a large part of my time to teaching, both in France and in Venezuela. I contributed to the founding of the EiM (Escuela Itinerante de Música) in Caracas, taught at IUDEM, and also collaborated with the “El Sistema” project, as well as with members of the Simón Bolívar Big Band Jazz.

Now back in France after nearly 10 years in Venezuela, I hope to make the most of my experience and share my passion for music, jazz, and the family of wind instruments.

Selected discography: Canaima World Jazz, Carlos Nene Quintero 5tet, Trio Mediterraneo, Laure

Donnat, Pedro Barboza, Leonel Ruiz, Fabiola Jose, Gabriel Davila, Fabby Olano,

Zumbao, Heriberto Rojas, Boris Sudres, Grupo Madera, Rafael Quintero,

Zumbadera, SafSap, Bituaya, Alex Jacquemin, Pibo Marquez, Claudio Amico,

Afrocodigos, Roberto Jiron, Renaud Barbier, Maria Rivas, Joe Uriola, Javier

Campos, Mariannick St Ceran, Cheo Linares ...