Photo by Anna Webber

Julien Labro, accordion

Heralded as “the next accordion star” by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune, French-born Julien Labro has established himself as one of the foremost accordion and bandoneon players in the classical and jazz genres. Deemed to be “a triple threat: brilliant technician, poetic melodist and cunning arranger,” his artistry, virtuosity, and creativity as a musician, composer, and arranger have earned him international acclaim and continue to astonish audiences worldwide.

His latest recordings, From this Point Forward (2014), Infusion (2016), and Rise and Grind (2017) all feature original compositions and arrangements by Labro, and have been lauded by critics as innovative and genre-bending. Labro has released over 10 albums under projects that he has led, and guested on recordings for artists such as Cassandra Wilson, Frank Vignola, and more.

Labro’s musical journey has taken him all across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. His long list of classical collaborations include A Far Cry, Spektral Quartet, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, Pulitzer prize winning composer Du Yun, and many more. Labro’s jazz projects include the Julien Labro Quartet, Hot Club of Detroit, and collaborations with Grammy award-winning composer Maria Schneider, Brazilian pianist João Donato, Argentinean Grammy-winning composer and pianist Fernando Otero, clarinetist Anat Cohen, Lebanese oud master Marcel Khalife, saxophonists Paquito D’Rivera, Miguel Zenón, James Carter, and Jon Irabagon, and guitarists Larry Coryell, Tommy Emmanuel, and John and Bucky Pizzarelli.

Labro opens the 2017-18 season with a tour through Finland. Other highlights include performances at the Newport Jazz Festival and Detroit Jazz Festival, a debut at the prestigious Gilmore Keyboard Festival, where he will be performing classical and jazz concerts with the Julien Labro Quartet, and a performance with the San Angelo Symphony. In his free time, Labro is working on composing a new bandoneon concerto that will be a sequel to his accordion concerto Apricity.

For more information visit www.julienlabro.com.