Jean-Paul Bourelly
guitarist composer producer
Jean-Paul Bourelly known as an innovative and experimental musical explorer. His music is informed by the migrant community of Haiti and the southern Afro America culture he was a part of while growing up on the south side of Chicago.
His guitar sound is often times assertive that can be combustable, deep and bluesy and he excels at blending and bending various musical styles into fresh forms characterized by rhythmic and spontaneous creativity.
New York
He relocated to New York at 18 years of age and worked with notable jazz musicians such as drum legend Elvin Jones, AACM founder Muhal Richard Abrams, Pharaoh Sanders, Cassandra Wilson, Olu Dara and recorded with Miles Davis. Early accolades include being heavily featured on the Abrams release Blues Forever which won Dowm Beat record of the year.
He started his own group. the BluWave Bandits while in New York in the 80’s and 90’s
Bourelly released his first recording entitled Jungle Cowboy (JMT), preceded by Trippin (Enemy) then four consecutive records on the Japanese label DIW. Saints and Sinners, Blackadelic Blu ,Rock the Carthartic Spirits, and Fade to Cacaphony. This flurry of work established his sound internationally in Europe and Japan.
BluWave Concept
His earlier concept was based on a vision of expanding the borders of funk music by employing polyrhythms, combined with sonic experimentation from the guitar. This assertive sound brought his music to the attention of the international press as well as local scenes like the Black Rock Coalition as well as Mbase.
Bourelly’s concept is rooted in an Afro-Atlantic ideal that is enhanced by a strong, organic spontaneous impulse. His music is constantly stalking connecting points of blues in the abstract, scrambling polyrhythms, surrealistic guitar effected colors and interrogating the new frontier of frequencies in electronic music.
Reconnecting with Haitian musicians from the popular roots group Foula, he formed Ayibobo which was merging his Haitian and Afro American worlds together.
Berlin
Since relocating to Berlin, he experienced a renewed inspiration to follow an Afro Modern sound. This impulse would take him in a direction away from the American and more towards a free flowing sound with Black Atlantic rhythms, and sonic experimentations as an inspiration.
This was made possible due to his association with the late Abdourahmane Diop, his work with writer Paul Gilroy on the music and art project “Black Atlantic” in 2004 at House of World Cultures in Berlin and the significant African music scenes in Berlin and Paris.
In Berlin he formed in 1995 Jean-Paul formed Boom Bop with Abdourahmane Diop and jazz legend Archie Shepp. In 2012 he leaned back to his BluWave sound by forming Stone Raiders a Power Trio with Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones and Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun.
These projects continued to reveal Afro blues in abstract, deconstructing polyrhythms, while using analog and introducing computer drivin atmospheres more frequently, interrogating the new frontier of frequencies in electronic music.
Today
Check out his 2014 release of 3KINGS “Famous Guys”, his rocky guitar navigating, subverting and finally transforms an otherwise traditional Cameroonian High Life groove. He also introduces a second dimension to his playing with rhythmic tapping on this release. Its rhythmic underpinnings teased out from his 7 stringed guitar.
“No jazz”, ”BluWave”, “Free Form Funk”, “Trash Jazz”, “Black Rock”,”Voodoo Rock”, “Black Atlantic Funk” “Afro Futurism” and “Next Step” are all names that have been used to describe Bourelly’s sound.
The label/production studio JpGotMangos, was formed in 2005 as an independent outlet/studio for his most personal and indie musical ideas. He continues to produce from this creative hub today.
His solo acoustic cd, New From a Dark Out Room, Bourelly’s CutMotion and 3KINGS “Famous Guys”, Kiss The Sky are some the CD produced through JpGotMangos.
www.bourelly.com email: bookings@bourelly.com
BluWave Sound
BluWave Bandits – 1990-97
Vibe Music – 2003-2005
Gypsys Reloaded 2006 – 2009
CutMotion 2008
Stone Raiders – present
Kiss The Sky – present
Black Altlantic Sound:
Ayibobo 1992 – 2004
Boom Bop 1996 – 2002
Vibe Music Afro 2005
Citizen X – 2008 –
3Kings v1 2005 – 2009
3Kings v2
Blues Waka