Renaud Garcia-Fons

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Renaud Garcia-Fons
Birth name	Renaud Garcia-Fons
Born	December 24, 1962
Origin	Paris, France
Genre(s)	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Double bassist, Composer
Instrument(s)	Double bass
Associated acts	Michel Godard

Renaud Garcia-Fons (* near Paris December 24, 1962 ) is a French double-bass player and composer, notable for his virtuoso musicianship and for using a customised 5-stringed bass.

Garcia-Fons' father is the painter Pierre Garcia-Fons, and his family is of Catalonian origin; his affinity for Spanish and oriental culture is understandable. In the early 1980s Garcia-Fons enrolled at the Paris Conservatory; he has studied with François Rabbath who taught him his special technique of playing arco. Garcia-Fons is known for his overwhelming virtuosity, his Mediterranean melodic sense and his viola-like col arco sound.

Garcia-Fons is not only influenced by jazz and classical music, but also by flamenco, new musette, and "imaginary folklore" traditions. He started playing jazz in trumpet player Roger Guérin's band. From 1987 to 1993 he was part of the unique French all-double bass ensemble L'Orchestre de Contrebasses before he played in the Orchestre National de Jazz directed by Claude Barthélémy. His artistry led to many exciting and successful collaborations with other open-minded jazz musicians like Jean-Louis Matinier, Michael Riessler, Nguyên Lê, and Michel Godard. Actually he is working in his own projects, but also contributing to recordings of Gerardo Núñez, or of oriental players such as Kudsi Erguner, Dhafer Youssef, and even Cheb Mami.