Didier Verna

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Born: April 21, 1970 Primary Instrument: Guitar

Born in 1970, Didier Verna gets quickly involved in music, since he enters conservatory at the age of 5 and studies music theory for 2 years. At the age of 7, he starts learning classical percussions while continuing his theoretical studies; an opportunity for him to discover group playing and enjoy his first on-stage experiences. From this first instrumental contact with music, he will keep a sense and love for rhythm that can be heard very clearly in his playing, whether in composition or in improvisation.

At the age of 9, bored with playing without interruption the « Bolero de Ravel » on a plastic pad in order not to upset the neighborhood, he decides to try classical piano, which he will be practising for 2 years. Despite the desperate efforts of his teacher to interest him in the exclusive and daily practise of the major scale in all possible keys, he decides to change instrument, and tries classical guitar at the age of 11.

While he likes the instrument itself, he hardly feels any interest for the repertoire, most notably given the fact that as a music listener, he is a fan of Trust, Scorpion, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and other hard rock bands whose sound he completely fails to reproduce with nylon strings. He then turns to another teacher and another, younger, guitar repertoire, and at the age of 13, he discovers the richness and complexity of Marcel Dadi's picking, along with a whole folk and blues world that he starts to like. His relationship with the guitar also tightens at that time.

His encounter, 2 years later, with French guitarist Denis Gouzil marks a decisive orientation in his musical career: he discovers Jazz with him and gets instantly passionate for this music and its improvised aspects in particular. This encounter, taking place on the guitar, seals once and for all his link to this instrument.

He studies Jazz harmony and improvisation for 3 years, and at the age of 18, starts playing in Bordeaux in various bands, like a guitar octet with Denis Gouzil and Yves Carbonne (Compagnie Lubat, Carbonne / di Piazza / Manring).

At the age of 21, he moves to Paris for his studies and continues his Jazz formation as a self-taught, multiplying musical experiences both in bands (from trio to septet, or even in a guitar sextet with a rythm section) and in styles (jazz rock, modern jazz, brazilian...). Meanwhile, he develops a vocal jazz technique very much inspired from the work of Bobby Mc Ferrin and begins giving voice solo sessions.

In 2001, he meets pianist Thierry Lalo and creates with him a piano / vocal duet, an adaptation and extension of his solo vocal work to a total improvisation duel.

In 2002, he enters the Voice Messengers where he sings as a tenor, and meets great personalities of contemporary Jazz, such as Antoine Hervé and Glenn Ferris.

In 2006, he gets back to his main instrument and creates the @-quartet, with Gilles Naturel, Guillaume Naud and David Georgelet; a band that he equips with a repertoire of original compositions and with which he releases his first recording.

Last Updated: September 21, 2007

* Congrats ! Very very good album. I like it a lot. -- Glenn Ferris
* Some beautiful Jazz guitar. -- Antoine Hervé
* Nice sounds, great playing ! -- Greg Lyons
* I think that this is great quality jazz music. -- Yves Carbonne
* Nice example of autoproduction. [...] Supported notably by Gilles Naturel's double bass, Didier Verna plays indeed straight ahead Jazz clearly influenced by Pat Metheny from whom he has the roundness of sound and the limpidity of phrases. -- Citizen Jazz
* [...] Only a part time musician (Verna's other gig is as a computer researcher) this CD definitely has a full time sound. You'd think that these guys have been on the road for years -- their sound is that tight and complimentary. Definitely a great addition to any jazz collection. -- Darryl Gregory / Indie Music
* This is a very good CD. The songs are original and good, and the musicianship outstanding. It is not overplayed, it is not underplayed, everything fits together well. [...] The sound is modern but not too abstract, very listenable and flowing, it is more straight-ahead than fusion. The solos are terrific, Verna is an outstanding jazz guitarist. His tone/sound is more like Metheny than Scofield, but his lines are his own. I'm looking forward to his next CD. -- From a customer at CDBaby

As a Leader

Didier Verna @-quartet
DVL Records
2006
Tracks: 01; Corridor. 02; Printemptation. 03; Les Maléties. 04; Song for L.. 05; Offset Blues. 06; Paris - Nice. 07; The Hunt. 08; Mururoa (Anatoll de). 09; M. Scoff
Personnel: Didier Verna: Guitars. Gilles Naturel: Contrabass. Guillaume Naud: Piano. David Georgelet: Drums.

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