Laurent Medelgi

Hailing from Paris, Laurent picked up the guitar at age 12. After a solid year of Classical training, his wantingness to improvise drove him to play Rock Music.

Although just a teenager, his adventurous spirit brought him across the Channel to explore the U.K.s burgeoning New Wave/Rock Scene, where he immediately formed a band and started performing in London and its outlying area. While playing out at night, his days were spent recording and producing with the likes of Keyboardist David Greenfield (The Stranglers) and Saxophonist Kevin Flanagan (Pinkfloyd). Three years later, Laurent is back in Paris performing Club dates in his native city and along the French Riviera.

Setting foot in New York in the fall of 1993, Medelgi quickly becomes accustomed to the Citys fast-paced music scene. One year later, Laurent records and co-produces his first Album with Jazz/Funk Band Gotham. They are featured on Good Morning America and open for such headline acts as Ramsey Lewis, James Moody and Bucky Pizzarelli.

Laurent toured with Gotham in the States and Europe, before forming his own Jazz Trio after studying with Mike Stern, Wayne Krantz... His Trio performed at Special Events sponsored by prestigious Auction House Christies, and in NYCs Jazz Clubs. Laurent has been in contact with such world-class musicians as JT Lewis (Drums with Sting, Vanessa Williams), Keith Carlock (Dr. Steely Dan, Grover Washington Jr), Mino Cinelu (percussions), Tony Cedras (Keys for Paul Simon, Henry Threadgill), Brian Charette (Keys for Cindy Lauper, Talking Heads), Essiet Essiet (Bassist), Sean Smith (Bass for J. Terrasson), etc...

Circles, Live @ 55 Bar, featuring Steve LaSpina on Bass (Jim Hall, Pat Metheny...) and Bob Meyer on Drums (Joe Lovano...) is now available worldwide on British Label String Jazz. Laurent also leads E.s.p.riens, a modern Quintet mixing Drum&Bass with Ambient Jazz, featuring trumpeter Duane Eubanks. His new release Diverses is available on Evander Music and features a horn section and string Quartet. Recipient of ASCAP Award for his Compositions on Diverses, and grant for Mature Artists by AE Foundation.

SOME PAST CLIENTS include:

CLUBS:

New York, Ny: The Blue Note, 55 BAR, Metropolitan Cafe, Birdland (Sideman), The Cornelia Street Cafe, The Bitter End, Downtime, Don Hills, CBGBs, Nells, C-Note,Voodoo Lounge,The Living Room, Fressen, Trust Lounge, Bar 13, Cafe Charbon, Village Jazz Cafe, America, Boom, Blue Gallery, Greenwich Cafe, La Bonne Soupe, Brasserie Julien, Chez Suzette, Bell Cafe, XandO, Blue Water Grill, Park Avalon, Blue FIn, Cafe Steinhof, Bistrot Jules, Wallse, Pasticcio...

Paris, France: Sunset Jazz Club, Caveau des Oubliettes, Bojangles, Gibus, Le Merle Moqueur. London, UK: Mean Fiddler, Rock Garden , various Pubs... Germany: Celle Jazz Festival 1995, Hannover Jazz Club Theater Am Aegi, Hambourg The Cellar Jazz Club.

CORPORATE:

Greenwich, CT, Jazz Dinner Cruise Saks Fifth Avenue, David Yurman Gallery, Nyc GQ Magazine, Conde Nast Corp. Nyc Rockefeller Center Auction House Christies, Nyc Princeton University, NJ Tribeca Grand Hotel Robert Swingle Caterers, Nyc, Salon de Quartier, Brooklyn (Hairstylist). Bar-Tabac, Brooklyn, Le Singe Vert, Nyc, Rene Pujol, Nyc. Larry King Productions( Not CNN Larry King!) Ark Restaurants, Ltd. French Tourist Office in New York: la Maison de la France. French Consulate Awards Ceremony at Tribeca Rooftop. Cetelem, Paris, France. BRguestrestaurants, Nyc

Awards

two Ascaplus Awards
AE Venture Grant for Mature Artists

Gear

Gibson E135, semi-Hollow Body
Custom Strat Custom Tele Ovation Deluxe Celebrity Folk Guitar Alvarez Spanish Guitar Fender Deluxe 112 Boss GT6