Description
Adrien Chevalier
Born in Provence, South of France, into a family of violinists, Adrien Chevalier began his musical education at the Avignon Classical Conservatory, where he studied for 12 years before moving to Paris: there he developed his passion for Gypsy jazz and Eastern European music. He created Pad Brapad, a musical ensemble specializing in Balkan folklore, with whom he performed all over Europe, participating in the most renowned Word Music festivals. Adrien Chevalier then settled down in the French capital and joined the Grüss Circus orchestra, while also studying at the CMDL jazz school with master violinist Didier Lockwood.
In 2011 he moved to New York City where he co-founded the Avalon Jazz Band. Adrien Chevalier continued his work as a film composer (Canal +, France 3…) and founded the Hot Club of New York with whom he performed at the New York Hot Jazz Festival in 2014. Adrien Chevalier often collaborates with renowned artists and tours regularly in Europe, South America and Asia.
In 2015, he created Aramis Entertainment, an agency specializing in authentic, acoustic music for private events, contributing to the New York trad and swing scene’s growth and prosperity.
Adrien is currently preparing his first solo album with compositions inspired by Gypsy Jazz, Swing and Eastern European folklore.
Yvonnick Prené
Yvonnick Prené is a leading voice in modern jazz and a virtuoso of the chromatic harmonica. Based in New York, he has released six acclaimed albums as a leader, including Listen! (2023), Jobim’s World (2024), and Un Harmonica pour Django, collaborating with top international artists like Kevin Hays, Geoffrey Keezer, and Biréli Lagrène.
A sought-after collaborator, Prené has performed with jazz luminaries including Peter Bernstein, Rick Margitza, and Steve Cardenas, and has appeared at major festivals and venues worldwide, from Blue Note and Birdland in New York to Jazz Sur Seine in Paris.
Dedicated to education, he founded the New York Harmonica School and My Harmonica Studio, authored ten instructional books, and has taught at Jazz House Kids, New York Jazz Workshop, and Brooklyn Music School. Hohner recognized him as an Ambassador for its flagship Xpression chromatic harmonica.
Born in Massy, France, Prené studied classical music and jazz at the Sorbonne before moving to New York in 2007, where he studied with Lee Konitz, Charli Persip, Charles Tolliver, and Reggie Workman. Combining technical mastery, melodic sensitivity, and creative curiosity, he continues to expand the role of the harmonica in 21st-century jazz.