Jean-Paul Bourelly

Jean-Paul Etienne Bourelly (born November 23, 1960) is an American guitarist whose music crosses the boundaries of jazz fusion and rock. Bourelly was born in Chicago, Illinois, to parents from Haiti. His grandmother taught him Yoruba music. When he was ten years old, he sang at the Lyric Opera. He took lessons on piano and drums. He played acoustic guitar, but after hearing Jimi Hendrix on the radio, he bought an electric guitar with money he had saved from working at his uncle's gas station. During the same year, a late-night radio show introduced him to the music of Charlie Parker, which impressed him. In 1979, he moved to New York City. During the 1980s, he worked with Muhal Richard Abrams, Olu Dara, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Steve Coleman, Marc Ribot, Elliott Sharp, Archie Shepp, and David Torn. He produced albums for Cassandra Wilson.

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