YANNICK RIEU • TENOR SAXOPHONE
Montrealer and Franco-Québecer, Yannick grew up in Gaspésie and Saguenay. After studying at Le Conservatoire de Rennes (Bretagne), Le Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Chicoutimi, à Québec and à Montréal, Rieu starts a career as jazz saxophonist in 1980. In 1988, the jazz American bible, Down Beat, put him among the 20 most talented saxophonists in the world, next to Brandford Marsalis, Joe Lovano and Courtney Pine. Since then, he has been praised by the main American jazz, French and Canadian periodicals for his recordings and his appearances on stage. Yannick Rieu has played in Québec and in other Canadian provinces, in France, Germany, Portugal, Swizerland and the United States, living from time to time in Paris, one of the Jazz Capitals of the world. Since then, he has made five recordings, among which What is the colour of love which was awarded the Félix of Jazz Album of the Year at Gala of l'ADISQ 1996 and Little Zab, on Effendi label which also obtained the Félix of the Best Jazz Album at Gala of L'ADISQ 2000. September 2005 was the launching of CD "I" is a memory.

Yannick Rieu has received the 2006 “Oscar Peterson”  prize for his contribution to the jazz music in Canada.