Jean-Paul Bourelly

Who is Jean-Paul Bourelly?

Jean-Paul Bourelly is an American jazz fusion and blues rock guitarist.

Bourelly was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, his mother American and his father an immigrant from Haiti. Bourelly sang at the Lyric Opera when he was ten years old and learned piano and drums, picking up guitar by age 14. He moved to New York City in 1979, where he played with Muhal Richard Abrams, Roy Haynes, McCoy Tyner, and Elvin Jones; he also had a role in the film The Cotton Club, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He released his debut solo effort in 1987, and played with Miles Davis in 1988.

Bourelly also branched into rock music, as a member of the Black Rock Coalition and in time spent playing with Buddy Miles, Robin Trower, Jack Bruce, Terry Bozzio, and Matalex. He played with Cassandra Wilson on several of her albums, and continued to release solo efforts into the 2000s; these have been most successful in Japan. He is also a member of the Stone Raiders musical band.