Gui Duvignau

Gui Duvignau is a French-born Brazilian bassist and composer whose multi-cultural background has led to a life of traveling and musical exploration. A jazz musician and improviser in essence, he also draws inspiration from a variety of musical traditions and cultures. He is interested in creative and original music in all its forms, and is particularly dedicated to fostering deep human connection and exchange through music.

His first album Porto, in collaboration with singer Sofia Ribeiro was inspired by his time living in Portugal. The album features compositions by Sofia Ribeiro and Gui Duvignau and was released in 2010 with the support of Portuguese radio station, Antena 2.

His second album Fissura springs from his years in Paris, where it was recorded with Jonathan Orland (alto saxophone & clarinet), Julien Pontvianne (tenor saxophone & clarinet), Federico Casagrande (guitar), Thomas Caillou (guitar) and Thibault Perriard (drums). It was released in April 2016 on the Parisian label Onze Heures Onzes.

His travels led him to New York City, where he attended New York University and studied with, Drew Gress, Billy Drummond, Billy Drewes, Brad Shepik, and Michael Wolff, among others. He received his master's of music degree in May 2020.
He is also a student of jazz legend and master bassist, Ron Carter. 

His book From the Bottom Up, featuring interviews with Ron Carter, Buster Williams, Ron McClure, Mike Richmond, Jay Anderson, Drew Gress, and Christian McBride was published by Ron Carter Books in September 2020, and in Brazil by Editora Tipografia Musical with the title De Baixo Para Cima in May 2023.

His third album of original compositions, 3,5,8, was released in January 2021 by Sunnyside Records and features Billy Drewes (saxophone), Jeff Hirshfield (drums), Santiago Leibson (piano), and Elias Meister (guitar).

His album Baden is a tribute to the musical universe of legendary Brazilian musician, Baden Powell. Released in January 2022 on Sunnyside Records, it features Billy Drewes (saxophones), Lawrence Fields (piano), Jeff Hirshfield (drums), and special guests Ron Carter on bass and Bill Frisell on guitar.

His latest album, Live in Red Hook, with pianist Jacob Sacks and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell also features his original compositions and was released on Sunnyside Records in January 2024.

His upcoming album, Listen In, is the second installment of his trio with pianist Jacob Sacks and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell. It also features his original compositions and will be released on Adhyâropa Records in October 2025.

He is one of the founding members of the band ContraPunctus with Mike McGinnis, Carmen Staaf, and Hamir Atwal. The band performs regularly in NYC and their debut album is set for release in early 2026.

Duvignau’s music and recordings have been featured on radios across the world, in playlists on Apple Music and Spotify, and in publications such as, The New York Times, Downbeat magazine, JazzTimes, Jazziz, Jazz Magazine, Jazz News, All About Jazz, among others.

Gui Duvignau: Baden

by Dan Bilawsky
March 12, 2022

Gui Duvignau has had Baden Powell's sound in his sights for some time now. Born in France and raised in Brazil, the rising-star bassist delved deeply into that legendary Brazilian guitarist's work at the behest of several six-stringer friends. And as he studied guitar too, Duvignau came under the sway of Powell's advanced harmonic concepts, personalized technique and keen ability to skirt easy categorization by blending classical stylings, jazz sensibilities and a broad mixture of Brazilian traditions. Having then performed ...

Album Review

Gui Duvignau: 3,5,8

by Glenn Astarita
July 23, 2021

As a youngster, French bassist Gui Duvignau was exposed to several disparate cultures and musical forms thanks to his adventure seeking parents' relocations to Morocco, Brazil, Portugal and back to Paris before landing in Boston, MA., to attend the Berklee School of Music, and subsequently ending up in New York City. Duvignau advises that in his early musical endeavors he found rock music less challenging than jazz. Hence, on this effort with well-known jazz warriors, saxophonist Billy Drewes and drummer ...

“ (...) With a light touch and a songbook that is rich with tuneful structures offering space for flights of exploration and risk taking, the French-by-way-of-Brazil bassist, composer and bandleader Gui Duvignau has crafted a nourishing blend of global-inflected jazz over the course of several strong albums on the Sunnyside label. (...) This January’s “Live From Red Hook,” recorded at Brooklyn’s Coffey Street Studio, finds Duvignau exploring a set of shimmering originals and a Ron Carter classic in a sympathetic new trio (with Jacob Sacks on piano and Nathan Ellman-Bell on drums). The mood is often restrained, but insistent in its groove, with such intimate rapport between the players that listening can feel a touch like eavesdropping.“ Alan Scherstuhl - The New York Times

“ (...) Accompanied by Jacob Sacks on piano and Nathan Ellman-Bell on drums, this trio ably fills Brooklyn’s rustic Coffey Street Studio with the flourish of their improvisations. Indeed, no practice sessions preceded the recording dates. This recording is almost purely in the moment. At times one even forgets that it is “live”, as the engineering and mastering preserved the beauty of the moment. The other takeaway is Duvignau’s compositional prowess. Most of these tunes are originals that offer up traces of his mentors and inspirations, including everyone from Billy Drewes and Ron Carter to Alexander Scriabin and Charles Mingus. But these compositions are not simple attempts to rewrite the “classics.” Rather, what we find here is Duvignau forging a style all of his own - one that’s well worth the listen.” Joshua Myers - Downbeat Magazine

" (...) And so, although Baden (Sunnyside), Duvignau’s latest album, is in one sense a homecoming, it’s also a further evolution of the harmonically rich, searching approach that made last year’s 3, 5, 8 such a compelling listen. (...) In Duvignau's hands the guitarrist's music feels utterly contemporary (...) "
Shaun Brady - JazzTimes

" Ultimately, 3,5,8 is a wonderful showcase for Duvignau's writing; his compositions offer kaleidoscopic harmonic and rhythmic vocabularies that reflect many root sources, but he integrates them into a sound completely his own and balances them with his sidemen's many strengths. Though Duvignau is not yet a household name among American jazz fans, it's only a matter of time before he is. "
Thom Jurek - AllMusic

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