Biography

A long‑standing saxophonist and a distinctive figure on the European jazz scene, Gaël Horellou has been building, since the 1990s, a career in which high standards, curiosity, and a deep commitment to groove go hand in hand. Trained first in classical music and then in jazz, he initially came to prominence within the Collectif MU, before making a strong impression with Cosmik Connection, a pioneering electro‑jazz band that won several awards and toured international stages and festivals. From very early on, he asserted himself as a composer and bandleader, multiplying projects under his own name – Explorations, Synthesis, Legacy, Brooklyn, Pour la Terre or Organ Power – all testifying to a solid writing style and a clear taste for rhythmic and harmonic experimentation.

A highly sought‑after musician, Gaël Horellou has also distinguished himself as a choice sideman, notably alongside Laurent de Wilde, with whom he has developed an electro‑instrumental laboratory acclaimed by critics, while collaborating with many leading soloists on the French and international jazz scenes. Dividing his time between mainland France and Réunion Island, he has, for more than a decade, been opening an essential chapter of his journey by exploring the links between jazz and maloya: the Identité project and its Réunion‑based ensembles lay the foundations of a singular maloya‑jazz, repeatedly awarded and invited to major stages and festivals in Europe as well as in the Indian Ocean. Over the years, through his albums, tours, and recognition in various competitions and professional schemes, Gaël Horellou has been confirmed as one of the most original and enduring voices of the contemporary saxophone, capable of bringing together jazz tradition, Creole cultures, and electronic modernity in a single, coherent musical breath.

Press Photo © Alexandre LACOMBE

Discography