Guitar
Jean-Yves Dubanton began studying classical guitar at the age of six and continued for ten years. As a teenager, he became interested in Rock’n Roll and Rhythm’n Blues, before discovering jazz on his own. An encounter with Patrick Saussois in the early ’80s opened the door to swing manouche. He founded the Trio Niglo, which played at the Auberge du Vieux Pavé in Montceau les Meaux, where he played alongside guitarists Laurent Bajata, Doudou Cuillerier, Angelo Debarre, Raphaël Faÿs, Moreno, Rodolphe Raffalli, Romane, Dorado Schmitt, Tchavolo Schmitt and many others whose names are likely familiar to Django in Juners.
He became Patrick Saussois’ accompanist in the early 90s. At the same time, he met accordionist Jean-Claude Laudat, and the deep bond between accordion and guitar became obvious to him. The duo’s concerts followed one another, both in France and abroad. Together they founded the Rêve Bohémien quartet, which was later joined by guitarist Samy Daussat. All three also joined Patrick Saussois’ group, Alma Sinti. The following video is of Laudat, Daussat and Dubanton appearing at a festival as the Alma Sinti Trio in a tribute to Saussois about a year after the group leader’s death in 2012.
From that time on, Jean-Yves Dubanton has divided his time between various projects, including Alma Sinti, accompanying musette and swing accordionists (Marcel Azzola, Félix Belleau, Daniel Colin, Jean Corti, Daniel Denechau…), film scores and, above all else, the duo Laudat & Dubanton. In that setting Jean-Yves not only plays guitar but sings, as on this track from their first album, Mon pôte le Gitan. The song is entitled Rue du Pont Rouge.