Jean Pierre Catoul

Jean-Pierre Catoul was born in the Belgian town of Huy on August 14, 1963.
From the age of six, he started playing violin. Two years later, he was
noticed on the TV programme "Feu Vert". When not working on the violin, he
studied piano.

1984: He earned a first prize in music and violin at the Conservatoire Royal
de Liege, where he also studied harmony and was a soloist in the youth
orchestra. In the same year, he discovered rock and jazz while listening to
Stéphane Grappelli and Jean-Luc Ponty.

1985: Steve Houben, Michel Herr, Richard Rousselet are amongst his teachers
at the jazz seminars he attends at the Conservatoire de Liège. He sets up
his first band, Equation, with jazz pianist Eric Legnini and discovers the
work of Eugène Ysaye.

1986: William Sheller asks him to be part of his quartet, which leads to
numerous shows with the French star. He also plays and records with Félix
Simtaine's Act Big Band and with pianist Michel Herr. From this moment on,
he runs a double career in jazz and popular music. Top French stars such as
Niagara, Arthur H., Barbara, Gérard Depardieu, Alain Souchon, Alain Bashung,
Richard Gotainer, Pow-Wow as well as highly-rated Swiss singer Stéphane
Eicher call on his services.

1987: The year he met Didier Lockwood, with whom he works for two years. The
French jazzman becomes his model.

1989: The Jazz Academy awards him the "Saxo" of the year, as brightest young hope. He represents jazz violin alongside some of the world's best players at the prestigious international Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels.

1990: His first CD under his own name is released. "Modern Gardens" will see
him play across Belgium with his group. A second highpoint is reached when
he meets and plays with Stéphane Grappelli for the first of a long series of
gigs.

1991: He plays with singer Perry Rose on two albums and for numerous shows.

1992: Now recognised as a powerful soloist, Catoul is called on to play with
Toots Thielemans, the late Jacques Pelzer and Philip Catherine at festivals.
"Import-Export" is recorded for the Parisian label Miss You, which brings
him international attention.

1993: His reputation is now such that director Pierre Stine produces a show
for the national channel RTBF called "Jean-Pierre Catoul, violon
tout-terrain" (all terrain violin). Catoul then plays live alongside Yehudi
Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli for "All the violins of the world".

1994: Starts to work with accordionist Gwenaël Micault on the album "Other
Worlds".

1995: Robert Plant and Jimmy Page contact him for their European tour.
Catoul writes and directs the symphonic arrangements for the string section
in their show.

1997: His CD " Summer Winds" with pianist Charles Loos
is released on the Quetzal label.

1999: His duo work ,with guitarist Peter Hertmans, on the Cd "Restless" launches a series of concerts in the Benelux.

2001: His latest live release with Charles Loos is intitled "Sad Hopes" on Virgin records.

Jean Pierre Catoul left us on January 22nd, 2001 at the age of 37.

Discography on Quetzal:

Summer Winds (1997) Quetzal 106
Restless (1999) Quetzal 109

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