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Didier Verna

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 / diPiazza / Manring).

Since he moved to Paris in order to continue his scientific studies at the age of 21, Didier Verna attempts to maintain both his careers as an assistant professor in computer science and as a musician. He hence 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 rhythm 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.

@-Quartet: ¡En Seguida!

Read "¡En Seguida!" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
April 2, 2021

On ¡En Seguida!, its third album as a unit, French guitarist Didier Verna's astutely-named @-Quartet is lyrically clever and charming, rhythmically sharp and strong, and never banal or boring. One reason for this is the many bright and pleasing sounds Verna coaxes from his guitars (regular and fretless), guitar synth and sitar; a second is his remarkably keen ear for melodies that linger in the ear and invite repeated listening. Besides leading the ensemble, Verna, a professor of computer science ...

Album Review

Didier Verna @-quartet: Roots And Leaves

Read "Roots And Leaves" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
January 30, 2016

French guitarist and composer Didier Verna delivers his second album as leader with the very audacious Roots and Leaves containing eleven original compositions ranging from contemporary traditional to funky, bluesy and even folky at times. A classically-trained pianist who at age eleven moved to the guitar as his preferred instrument, employs the fretless and three other different guitars including a synthesizer to produce a variety of sounds that makes this album a pleasure to hear. Inspired by the ...

Album Review

Didier Verna: Roots and Leaves

Read "Roots and Leaves" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
November 29, 2015

Don't judge a book a book by its cover or a recording by its first track. “Old Times" is certainly that, a paean to the swinging age of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France and guitarist Didier Verna displays his considerable talent with a nimble solo, as do each of the other members of the quartet. In the true tradition of Mony Python, “Circulocentrique" is something completely different. This is a tasteful funky blues workout, again ...

Album Review

Didier Verna @-quartet: Roots And Leaves

Read "Roots And Leaves" reviewed by Chris Mosey

by Chris Mosey
November 25, 2015

Parisian guitarist Didier Verna plays very much in the Pat Metheny tradition but with a sunny, melodic touch. His music is well thought out but never overly serious, with humor playing an important part in his compositions and improvisations. Roots And Leaves, the title of this, his second album, was chosen with care. Verna says: “Roots are our foundation, our basis, our legacy and our culture... leaves are the multiple, blooming facets of our personality, our character ...

Recording

French Guitarist / Composer Didier Verna Releases His Second Album As A Leader

Source: Didier Verna
December 4, 2014

Backed by 3 of the most demanded musicians from the Paris Jazz scene (Laurent Epstein, piano / Yoni Zelnik, bass / David Georgelet, drums), French guitarist, singer and composer Didier Verna just released his new album as a leader: Roots and Leaves. Excerpt from the booklet: “Roots and Leaves... Roots are our foundation, our basis, our legacy and our culture. They are our link to the Earth, the anchor point, solid, static and invisible, on top of which we build ...
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Technology

Didier Verna's @-Quartet Featured in Current Issue of Indie Music Magazine

Source: All About Jazz
September 17, 2007

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Recording

Didier Verna's "@-Quartet" Now Available on Itunes

Source: All About Jazz
January 12, 2007

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Interview

An Online Interview with Didier Verna

Source: All About Jazz
October 27, 2006

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Recording

Didier Verna "@-quartet": first album just released

Source: All About Jazz
October 22, 2006

After two years touring as a tenor with the Voice Messengers (a Paris vocal jazz big band), French guitarist, singer and composer Didier Verna comes back to his primary instrument, the guitar, leading a brand new group: the “@-quartet".

Accompanied by three of the most solicited sidemen from the Paris Jazz scene (Gilles Naturel on bass, Guillaume Naud on piano and David Georgelet on drums), Didier Verna offers a 100% original repertoire of contemporary, melodic jazz, in the vein of ...
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* In the early Scofield Dept... — All About Jazz
* A force of Nature. — All About Jazz
* Metheny-esque, compromising, intellectual, non-rigorous with a superb technique. — eJazzNews
* Pat Metheny's roundness of sound and limpidity of phrases. — Citizen Jazz
* I hear a well articulated playing, in the tradition, masterized. — Alex Duthil, JazzMan
* Some beautiful Jazz Guitar. — Antoine Hervé
* Nice sounds, great playing! — Greg Lyons
* Great quality Jazz music. — Yves Carbonne
* You have a neat touch and a very limpid playing. — Sébastien Charlier
* Your playing reminds me of Jimmy Raney's which I love for its fluidity and its obviousness