Bruno Pelletier-Bacquaert

Bruno Pelletier-Bacquaert was born in Paris, France in 1960. He grew up in a musical family and was encouraged at an early age to develop his talent as a composer and instrumentalist. Note: it has been said that Bruno's father had played with gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. That is true. However, it should be mentioned that they only played pool together...

Studied guitar and Jazz Composition at the University of Miami, FL with Randall Dollahon & Ron Miller. Also studied with John Hart, Dave Creamer, Barry Harris and film-scoring with Laurent Petitgirard.

Moved to San Francisco in 1987 where he now works as a free-lance guitarist and bandleader-- with performances at the world-renowned Jazz club "Yoshi's" with his own Quartet, at the SF Museum of Modern Art, at local Jazz Festivals, and at the Mill Valley International Film Festival. Bruno Pelletier-Bacquaert has played with Buddy Collette, Sonny Simmons, Norah Jones, Bruce Dunlap, Trevor Dunn ("Mr. Bungle", "Fantomas", John Zorn), Reid Anderson ("The Bad Plus"), Jenny Scheinman, Ben Monder, Steve Cardenas, Kenny Wollesen (Bill Frisell), J. Granelli, Adam Levy (Tracy Chapman, Joey Baron, Norah Jones), percussionist Mingo Lewis (from "Santana"), African World Beat group "Zekele Sounds", and the "Broun Fellinis".

Aside from writing and performing original compositions, Bruno has been working on a "French singer-songwriters project": he adapts songs by Serge Gainsbourg, Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel & Charles Trenet and uses them as new "standards" (or "vehicules") for adventurous instrumental Jazz improvisations. Wrote the original score for the experimental film "The Making of El Capistrano" by avant-garde director Claire Bain. Original music performed by the Bruno Pelletier-Bacquaert Quartet is also featured on the 2006 television movie "The Best Kept Secret", produced by the San Francisco Academy of Arts University and made for the "Documentary Channel".

Bruno travels regularly to New York City (where he lived in 1999-2000) and to Europe where he performs and presents workshops.

A book of Jazz Compositions by Bruno is awaiting publication by Drake Mabry Publishing, San Diego, CA.

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