Yannick Rieu

YANNICK RIEU composer and saxophonist

Recognized as one of the most talented jazz saxophonists in the world, Yannick Rieu is the recipient of the 18th Oscar Peterson Award, acknowledging his outstanding musicianship and exceptional contribution to the development of Canadian jazz. His music is best defined by its constant evolution.

He has received unanimous praise from jazz critics around the world: «Most likely one of the world's 20 best jazz saxophone players.» - Journal de Montréal (Canada) – «Canada's greatest jazz poet.» - Jazzman (France) – In 1988, “Downbeat” magazine Critic Poll ranked him alongside Brandford Marsalis and Joe Lovano as one of the 20 most promising saxophonists on the world scene. Jazz writers have compared him to Stan Getz or Lee Konitz (L'Express, Toronto) - «He sounds like a mixture of Tony Malaby or Chris Potter's muscular playing with a hint of mid-60s Sonny Rollins lyricism.» - The Jazz Clinic (USA).

Where does Yannick Rieu really stand? The answer is complex. «He has the ability to evoke the roar and fury of life as well as the tenderness and exquisite delight of our existence.» (Stanley Péan, Radio Canada).

«Contextually neither expressionist nor impressionist, avant-gardist nor neo-conservative, Yannick Rieu instead inhabits a middle ground, where inspiration is motivated by individual concern, a private vision. The choice he has made mark him as a musician of thoughtful gesture and singular craft.» - Art Lange, New York. «Bruno Monsaingeon once said that Glenn Gould's genius was to give each auditor the seemingly miraculous ability to decipher Bach's music. Yannick Rieu is endowed with the same gift: to hear him think out loud his interior musical self is to experience the exhilarating sensation of being able to speak the jazz idiom ourselves.» L'Express, Toronto.

Yannick Rieu leaves no one indifferent. Through his acoustic and electronic projects, he tackles music from multiple angles, while improvisation remains the cornerstone of his artistry. Always intense and intuitive, he plays tenor and soprano saxophone, obeying his own philosophy, without any compromise. As a creative artist, he constantly aims at giving sense to his music.

Yannick Rieu has received three «Félix» awards, from Canada's ADISQ (Association for the Recording, Concert and Video Industries) in the Jazz Album of the Year category for his albums «What Is the Colour of Love?», «Little Zab», and «I Is Memory.» Through the course of his fruitful musical career, he has been regularly nominated as composer and saxophonist.

Awards

2021 : Lauréat du Prix Opus 2021 - album jazz de l’année pour son album “MachiNations” Nomination du Prix OPUS 2021 - Orchestre National de Jazz de Montréal « The Mystic Mind » (soliste invité) 2020 Lauréat du Prix André Gagnon- compositeur de musique instrumentale (La Fondation SPACQ) - Offert par Québécor 2019 Prix Hommage 2019 remis par le Festi Jazz Mont-Tremblant pour sa remarquable contribution au développement du jazz au Canada 2014 Nomination du Prix OPUS « Concert de l’année - jazz » : spectacle « Hommage à la chanson française » « Disque de l’année – jazz » pour l’album « Art du Trio » 2013 Prix de la musique de la 22e édition Grands Prix Desjardins pour son rayonnement au plan international 2008 Nomination du Prix Félix (ADISQ) dans les catégories «album jazz interprétation de l’année» pour l’album « Saint-Gervais » « CHOC » JAZZMAN : Saint-Gervais a reçu la mention « CHOC » dans la revue française JAZZMAN « Tribute to Jacques Brel » - la musique de M. Rieu a été sélectionnée pour l’album « Tribute to Jacques Brel » aux côtés de Nina Simone, Juliette Greco, Dalida et Liz Greenaway (Wagram Music) 2006 ADISQ : Félix «meilleur album jazz de l’année - jazz création » pour l’album « I » Is Memory Prix Oscar Peterson pour sa contribution au jazz canadien et la qualité de son art - Festival International de Jazz de Montréal La Presse et Radio Canada Nommé Personnalité de la semaine pour sa contribution globale au rayonnement de la musique canadienne 2002 ADISQ Nommé dans les catégories « meilleur compositeur de l’année » et « meilleur album jazz de l’année » pour "l’album "Little Zab 2 2000 ADISQ Félix « meilleur album jazz de l’année » pour l’album Little Zab 1999 Cégep d’Alma Récipiendaire d’un diplôme honorifique d’enseignement collégial 1996 ADISQ Félix « meilleur album jazz de l’année » pour l’album "What is the Colour of Love" 1988 DOWN BEAT In 1988, Downbeat magazine Critic Poll ranked him alongside Brandford Marsalis and Joe Lovano as one of the 20 most promising saxophonists on the world scene.