Jean-Paul Bourelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Paul Bourelly
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Jean-Paul Bourelly, Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jean-Paul Etienne Bourelly |
| Born | November 23, 1960 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1980–present |
Jean-Paul Etienne Bourelly (born November 23, 1960) is an American guitarist. He is known for mixing different music styles. His music often blends jazz fusion and rock.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Jean-Paul Bourelly was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1960. His parents came from Haiti. His grandmother taught him about Yoruba music, which has roots in West Africa.
When he was ten, Jean-Paul sang at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. He also learned to play the piano and drums. He started with an acoustic guitar. But after hearing the famous guitarist Jimi Hendrix on the radio, he saved money from working at his uncle's gas station. He then bought his first electric guitar. Around the same time, a late-night radio show introduced him to the jazz music of Charlie Parker. This music greatly impressed him.
Moving to New York and Early Career
In 1979, Jean-Paul moved to New York City. During the 1980s, he worked with many talented musicians. Some of these included Muhal Richard Abrams, Elvin Jones, Pharoah Sanders, and McCoy Tyner. He also helped produce albums for singer Cassandra Wilson.
Jean-Paul even had a small part in the movie The Cotton Club. This film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Towards the end of the 1980s, he played on Amandla. This was one of the last albums by the legendary jazz musician Miles Davis. In 1987, Jean-Paul released his first solo album, called Jungle Cowboy. From then until 1995, he led his own band, the BluWave Bandits.
Music and Influence
In the 1990s, Jean-Paul Bourelly moved to Europe. He said that his music became harder to put into one category. He explained that it combines his Haitian background, African rhythms, blues, and rock music.
He also started his own record label, called JPGotMangos. In the 2000s, he led several music groups. Some of these groups were 3kings, Citizen X, and Blues Bandits.
Family Life
Jean-Paul Bourelly has a daughter named Bibi Bourelly. She was born in Berlin, Germany. Bibi is also a singer and songwriter. Her mother, who was German, was in charge of the Art Department at Berlin's House of the World’s Cultures. Jean-Paul raised Bibi after her mother passed away. She grew up very close to the music world.
Selected Albums
Jean-Paul Bourelly has released many albums as a leader and has played on albums for other artists. Here are a few examples:
- Jungle Cowboy (1987)
- Trippin (1992)
- Saints & Sinners (1993)
- Blackadelic-Blu (1994)
- Tribute to Jimi (1995)
- News from a Darked Out Room (2006)
- Kiss the Sky (2018)
He also played on albums like:
- Point of View by Cassandra Wilson (1986)
- Amandla by Miles Davis (1989)
- Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe (1990)
- Duophonic by Charles & Eddie (1992)
See also
In Spanish: Jean-Paul Bourelly para niños
