David Prez
Born in Lyon, David Prez is a jazz saxophonist and composer known for his talent and creativity. At the age of 9, he began learning the saxophone and music, a passion that led him to join the Jazz department of the Music Conservatory of Lyon in 1997. Under the tutelage of Mario Stantchev and Jacques Helmus, he finished his studies in 2000 with a gold medal by unanimity, accompanied by the congratulations of the jury.
His quest for development led him to travel to New York, where he had the opportunity to study with jazz legends such as David Liebman, Michael Brecker and Jerry Bergonzi. In 2004, he recorded his first record, New Life, in New York, with renowned musicians such as Bill Stewart on drums, Johannes Weidenmüller on bass and Franck Amsallem on piano.
After moving to Paris in 2004, David Prez led his own band for about ten years, collaborating with artists such as guitarist Romain Pilon, bassist Yoni Zelnik and drummer Karl Jannuska. Over the years, David has recorded seven records as a leader: Trigunas, Two for the Road, Awakening, New Life, David Prez & Romain Pilon Group I & II and Paris Jazz Underground and has participated in about thirty recordings as a sideman.
His musical career has led him to play alongside musicians such as Bill Stewart, Jeff Ballard, Vincent Bourgeyx, Matt Penman, Obed Calvaire, David Liebman, Sandro Zerafa, Romain Pilon, Laurent Coq, Philippe Soirat, Yoni Zelnik, Joe Sanders, Tam de Villiers, Pierre de Bethman, Keziah Jones, Nikki Yanofsky… and to perform at prestigious international venues, including Jazz in Vienna, L'Olympia, Festival Show of Hands (Iran), MIDEM in Cannes, Le Printemps de Bourges, Malta Jazz Festival, Brussels Jazz Marathon, Bancko Jazz Festival (Bulgaria), Trova Festival (Cuba), Deer Head Inn (USA), Cargo (London), Beirut Jazz Festival (Lebanon), Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Sao José dos Campos, Recife & Itajai Festival (Brazil), New Dehli, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa (Inde)…
His saxophone playing, described as an “exquisite tenor sound, powerful and ample”, is distinguished by sinuous phrases, burning with energy, while remaining accessible and inspired by the roots of jazz. As a composer, David Prez has also been able to stand out with a contemporary Jazz sound, original compositions inspired and imbued with tradition but also rich in varied influences ranging from classical music to rock through traditional music.
David Prez continues to enrich the contemporary jazz scene with his talent, passion and commitment to music by performing notably with his trio Trigunas with bassist Yoni Zelnik and drummer Fred Pasqua, his duet with pianist Vincent Bourgeyx or the quartet of drummer Philippe Soirat.
Photo credit: Jean-Baptiste Millot
