Sylvain Luc

Sylvain Luc (7 April 1965 – 13 March 2024) was a French jazz guitarist.

Luc toured regularly but rarely appeared in high-profile jazz festivals. He was particularly attracted to duets, but was also seen in trios (his own, plus Trio Sud, and on tour in 2009 with Steve Gadd and Richard Bona) and rarely with larger groups. His best-known works are the two duet albums with Biréli Lagrène, with whom he toured many times.

Biography Childhood and musical studies Luc was born in Bayonne, France, the youngest of three brothers. He mastered the guitar, cello, violin, and mandolin as a child. As a result, he started touring with his brothers playing balls at a very early age.

Being immersed in a musical environment, he was regularly in touch with other musicians. One of them, the late Joe Rossi (who taught accordion to his elder brother Gérard), suggested that he to listen to (and offered him an LP of) Joe Pass (Portraits of Duke Ellington). This, and other encounters at his parents' home (in particular guitar player Michel Ducau-Lucart, who offered him his first guitar), led him to listen to, and appreciate, jazz music. He also entered the conservatoire of Bayonne. While the guitar is his instrument of choice, there were no courses for the guitar at the conservatoire, so he chose to study cello instead, and gained a taste for classical music. Luc commented that his study of the cello helped him build strength in his fingers which was beneficial for guitar. His funeral was held on 26 March at the crematorium of the Père-Lachaise cemetery where he was cremated; he was buried two days later at the Saint-Pierre cemetery in Marseille.

Instruments Luc mostly played Godin Multiac guitars, both the nylon and steel string versions. He also, but less frequently, played with the Godin 5th Avenue series (he is seen with a black 5th Avenue guitar on his album Standards). He also played classical guitars.

Style Luc mostly played fingerstyle, even with a steel string guitar, and sometimes used a plectrum, often switching during the course of a single song.

Luc sometimes detuned the sixth (and even fifth) strings of his guitars (sometimes up to an octave below normal), both to emulate a bass sound while accompanying and to accompany himself in solos.

Discography As leader Piaia (Transat, 1993) Petits deja... with Louis Winsberg (Bleu Citron, 1994) Terre Indigo with Catherine Lara (PolyGram, 1996) Duet with Bireli Lagrene (Dreyfus, 1999) Ameskeri with Stephane Belmondo (Shai, 1999) Piaia Naia with Francis Lassus (Disques Concord, 1999) Sud with Trio Sud (Dreyfus, 2000) Nahia (Pygmalion, 2000) Trio Sud (Dreyfus, 2002) Solo Ambre (Dreyfus, 2003) Joko (Dreyfus, 2006) Young and Fine with Trio Sud (Dreyfus, 2008) Standards (Dreyfus, 2009) Organic with Andre Ceccarelli (Dreyfus, 2011) Roots & Wings with Phil Abraham (Challenge, 2014) Giu' La Testa with Stefano di Battista (Just Looking, 2014) La Vie En Rose with Richard Galliano (Le Chant du Monde, 2015) D'une Rive a L'autre with Marylise Florid (Jade, 2019) 2.0 with Stephane Belmondo (Naive, 2019) By Renaud Letang (Just Looking Productions, 2021)

As sideman With Andre Ceccarelli 61:32 (BMG, 1999) Carte Blanche (Dreyfus, 2004) Ultimo (EmArcy/Universal, 2012) Twelve Years Ago (Bonsai Music, 2013)

With others Charles Aznavour, Jazznavour (EMI, 1998) Gerard Berliner, Heureux (Une Musique, 1997) Richard Bona, The Ten Shades of Blues (EmArcy/Universal, 2009) Patrick Bruel, Juste Avante (RCA, 1999) Edith Butler, Madame Butlerfly (Kappa, 2003) Richard Galliano, New Jazz Musette (Ponderosa, 2016) Jean Guidoni, Aux Tourniquets Des Grands Cafes (Malambo, 1990) Jean Guidoni, Vertigo Paradoxe, (Polygram, 1995) Francoise Hardy, Le Danger (Virgin, 1996) Jacques Higelin, Aux Heros De La Voltige (EMI, 1994) Jean-Marc Jafet, Live Au Parc Floral (RDC, 1996) Jean-Marc Jafet, Mes Anges (Cristal, 2004) Jairo, Live Bataclan (Malambo, 1988) Lokua Kanza, 3 (RCA, 1998) Lokua Kanza, Plus Vivant (EmArcy/Universal, 2005) Catherine Lara, Melomanie (Guy Cloutier, 1997) Catherine Lara, Aral (XXL, 1999) Philippe Leotard, A L'amour Comme a La Guerre (Chansons) (Gorgone, 1990) Linda Lewis, Second Nature (Sony, 1995) Didier Lockwood, Onztet De Violon Jazz (JMS, 1994) Didier Lockwood, For Stephane (Ames, 2008) Vincent Peirani, Gunung Sebatu (Zig Zag, 2010) William Sheller, Avatars (Mercury, 2008) Fabienne Thibeault, Martin De Touraine (A.D.L., 1996) Trio Chemirani, Invite Accords (Croises, 2011)