“Blue Jay”, Written by Gilles Rézard, performed by: Marie Clemence (mandolin Hervé Coufleau) & Gilles Rézard (mandolin Hervé Coufleau)

Gilles Rézard said: “I wrote ‘Blue Jay’ with John Reischman in mind, inspired by his quiet and soothing world. This song was performed for the first time at a Bluegrass Nature workshop in 2007.”

The Gilles Rézard & Marie Clemence duo is the result of a harmonious collaboration between these two multi-instrumentalists, featuring reimagined bluegrass standards, original compositions, and songs by Béla Fleck—ranging from traditional to jazz. The duo’s instrumentation includes the banjo, double bass, mandolin, and guitar.

Gilles Rézard

Gilles Rézard discovered picking-style guitar at age 16 from Marcel Dadi, then fell in love with the banjo after listening to Jean-Marie Redon, Bill Keith, and Tony Trischka. At the same time, he trained in classical guitar, studying at the École Normale de Musique de Paris.

A leading musician and educator in the French-speaking bluegrass scene, he has cultivated a unique relationship with traditional American music for nearly fifty years. Trained by Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, and Pete Wernick, he is one of the few non-Americans invited to teach bluegrass in the United States at workshops organized by Pete Wernick at Silver Bay Bluegrass Camp (2015 and 2019).

Upon his return to France, he recorded “Wood, Metal and Skin” and then “Brocéliande,” which brought him recognition in Europe and across the Atlantic. Available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWNtrzDF69ZA53ekVISNqOQ
He has played with numerous French bands, including: La Récré, then First Aid, Opus 2, Djawoen, then Bluegrass Burger, Acoustic Boulevard, Wondergrass, Zip Code 2025, and later Banjomaniacs.
As the founder of the École Bluegrass (https://ecolebluegrass.com) and creator of the Bluegrass Nature workshop, he combines online teaching with live performances, driven by a passion that’s truly captivating.

Marie Clemence

Marie Clemence followed a traditional cursus that eventually led her to explore new horizons: a classical music program at the CNR in Bordeaux (France), followed by studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.
She then set out in search of new musical horizons that would fulfill her desire to play music that brings people together. After several years of teaching and practicing music, she discovered bluegrass music through an online radio station, drawn to its collaborative and festive spirit (jams, festivals). She is a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, double bass, banjo, organ) and performs in several groups ranging from duos (such as “musique du jour”) to quintets, within which she develops an increasingly personal style influenced by her tastes in jazz, progressive bluegrass, folk, and, of course, classical music. She composes, performs in various ensembles, and teaches music at specialized workshops.
https://www.youtube.com/@musiquedujour2867
“Diffraction” dans ce projet, avec Dorian Ricaux