Album Notes

Thomas was born in France on October 11, 1977. Exposed to Jazz early on in life, with the influence of his father and his brother, he started playing the guitar at the age of fifteen . He soon enrolled in “Le JAM” school (Jazz Action Montpellier), in Montpellier, where he lived, to learn the instrumental techniques and harmony of Jazz. It is there that he meets the best musicians of the region, as well as world renowned musicians such as Mike Stern, Joe Diorio, Joe Zawinul, Trilok Gurtu, etc, with whom he follows master class and stages.
He will then perfect himself with Louis Winsberg (guitarist for the group SIXUN) and Laurent Cugny (National Jazz Orchestra Director, at the time) in Paris.

It is when he discovered the music of Egberto Gismonti and Ralph Towner that he decides to concentrate on perfecting the acoustic guitar. In 1999, he asks luthière Martine Montassier, to make him an 8-string guitar, that influenced the music he plays today. On the electric side, Thomas is more influenced by musicians like Bill Frisell, Terje Rypdal, David Torn, Eivind Aarset, John Scofield…

Thomas will quickly concentrate on developing his own projects, acoustic and electric, that bring him to play on stage and in studio with musicians such as Dave Liebman, David Binney, Lonnie Plaxico, Gilad, Élisabeth Kontomanou, Ralph Alessi, Lionel Cordew, Dan Weiss, Thomas Morgan, Carlo Rizzo, Sylvain Luc…

“Shadows & Light” is his eigth CD in career in leader (and the third in solo).

Thomas Carbou : 8-string guitar, electric & acoustic guitars, loops, electronics & vocals