A curious and passionate musician, Julien loves the mix of genres, opening new doors and trying out different styles. Co-founder with his cousin of the rock band Run SOFA, this is his first jazz album as a leader.
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Originally from Charleroi, this guitarist discovered music in a family of music lovers. Unconditional fans of the Beatles, his uncles offered him his first guitar at the age of eight which led him to discover the blues a few years later. While performing with groups in the region, he spent his days at the local media library where he discovered jazz.
His love for the music of John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and so many others gradually diverted him from classical learning. The rhythm, harmonic richness and freedom of jazz intrigued and fascinated him. Eager for discoveries, he entered the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where he studied guitar under Paolo Radoni. He left with a degree and a vocabulary that he always wanted to incorporate into his own musical language.
An eclectic guitarist, he was first noticed playing with The Crazy Moondog Band alongside bassist Daniel Romeo and musicians such as Eric Legnini, Christophe, Panzani and Rosario Giuliani. At the same time, he developed personal projects together with Manuel Hermia, Lorenzo Di Maio and Jim Henderson. Between 2014 and 2015, in residence at the Sounds Jazz Club, he played his compositions in various line-ups. These experiments enabled him to find the configuration best suited to his playing and music. This is the birth of the trio with Nicolas Thys on double bass and Dré Pallemaerts on drums. All these experiences allow him to define a unique style of composition and playing that borrows as much from blues as it is from jazz and rock.
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