I started playing guitar when I was 5 in a local music school near Paris. I attended classical guitar lessons and quickly became used to playing in public on a regular basis, in duo or solo. My early education included everything from classical to contemporary music. At 15 I went to the Conservatory of Music to perfect my classical guitar studies. From then on my interest in music grew. In the meantime, I got my first electric guitar and I taught myself by listening to Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne and Jeff Beck records. At 18 I discovered jazz fusion at a Brecker Brothers concert in Paris, featuring Mike Stern on guitar. At 20, after my Paris Science University graduation and my classical guitar Master, I came to Nancy to study at the CMCN (now called Music Academy International) in the jazz fusion department. I came out first guitarist of session 1995-1996 with special distinction of the jury.
My career then evolved in many artistic directions in France and the US : classical, jazz, world music, pop, rock.
“Ripe” is my first all instrumental project as a composer, musician and producer. I still play solo and as a sideman in any musical set up. You can join me at jfsoubelet@yahoo.com.
From the beginning, I’ve been blessed in having the opportunity to learn or to play with:
JOSE BARRACHINA, GEORGE BENSON, JOSE LUIS CAMPANA, PHILIPPE CANOVAS, REMY CHAUDAGNE, MATTHIEU CHAZARENC, MICHAEL CHERET, JEAN-MARIE ECAY, ALISON ENGLAND, MATTHIEU EMANA ESKENAZI, FREDERIC FAVAREL, FRANK GAMBALE, PIERRE-JEAN GAUCHER, SCOTT HENDERSON, SHAWN LANE, THIERRY LETEURTRE, DAVE LIEBMAN, SYLVAIN LUC, GEORGE LYNCH, PATRICK MANOUGUIAN, PAT MARTINO, PAT METHENY, FRANCISCO "EL PULGA" MORALES, YANNICK ROBERT, MIKE STERN, JOHN SCOFIELD, JOEY TAFFOLLA, FOO JUSTE TEKO, NELSON VERAS, DAVE WECKL.
Photos: Yury Toroptsov - 2007
