b. Paris, France. After studying classical guitar at the Edouard Pailleron College and the International School of Classical Guitar in Paris, Antoine carried out a considerable amount of studio work. He also played jazz in Paris clubs and throughout western France. During visits to Spain he became enamoured with that country’s acoustic guitar style and sound. He was hired by Basia, playing with her in London and on two international tours. He also played on albums by the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, DJ Greyboy, Queen Latifah and others, and played piano on an album by Soul II Soul. In 1990, Antoine relocated to the USA, taking up residence in California. Four years later he signed to the NYC subsidiary of GRP Records, and his debut, Classical Soul, did very well in the contemporary jazz charts, owing to the singles, ‘Unity’ and ‘Follow Your Bliss’. He had similar success with ‘Latin Quarter’ from the follow-up, Urban Gypsy.
In the wake of these chart successes, Antoine became associated with the smooth jazz genre, a self-evident example of the potentially limiting effect of labelling. The reality is that Antoine’s musical grounding, in classical music and jazz, allied as it is to his love of Spanish and Brazilian musical sounds and forms, have made him an all-round musician whose work is worthy of the attention of all who like guitar music, regardless of genre. Antoine has also worked in films, his music being heard on several soundtracks, including 1997’s Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil. He also plays frequently on albums by other artists, sometimes smooth jazz, other times on what might be termed ‘smooth classical’ as on Café Del Mar’s Aria 2: New Horizon. His second wife is the Spanish-born singer, Rebecca Vega.
