Renaud LOUIS-SERVAIS

RLSG (Renaud Louis-Servais Group) is the story of four French musicians with a common passion for jazz, rock and fusion brought together to play Renaud Louis-Servais’s music. - See more at: http://guitarnoize.com/renaud-louis-servais-french-fusion-guitarist
As you can hear in the video above, Renaud is a very tasty player wielding a lovely Tom Anderson guitar that he endorses. If you like what you hear head over to Renaud’s website to hear more samples from the album and information on where to purchase... - GuitarNoize

RLSG (Renaud Louis-Servais Group) is the story of four French musicians with a common passion for jazz, rock and fusion brought together to play Renaud Louis-Servais’s music. - See more at: http://guitarnoize.com/renaud-louis-servais-french-fusion-guitarist
As you can hear in the video above, Renaud is a very tasty player wielding a lovely Tom Anderson guitar that he endorses. If you like what you hear head over to Renaud’s website to hear more samples from the album and information on where to purchase... - GuitarNoize

This new album of phenomenally tasty and exceptionally engineered music is a great debut for the Renaud Louis-Servais Group (R.L.S.G.). I love how the album starts with such a solid rockin' beat by drummer Alain Bidot-Naude over the pulsing synth of Franck Guicherd. Soon the solid basswork of Henri Dorina comes in and then on the 45th second, the pure sonic guitar sound of Renaud Louis-Servais lays down the opening theme. What a breath of fresh, French, fusion air! Renaud himself is wonderfully expressive, articulate, clean, and free of pretense. Nothing is under or overplayed. [check out his YouTube Channel for a closer look]

Like their leader, every band member is also a superb musician. Every track on the album is an inspiration. "ILUNA" is an amazing collection of original music that draws from almost every school of music in the jazz and rock genres. It is full of surprises. If you are a long-time jazz-rock aficianado, you are in for a true treat.

The guitar-legend influences are particularly noticeable if you are a fan of Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, and Scott Henderson. I even hear a little Terje Rypdal in some of those long, soaring sustains during the trilogy of opening tracks. Speaking of which, what a great way to start an album. It is as if Renaud is giving us a mini-25 minute lesson in the history of electric and acoustic jazz-rock music. It is all so very cohesive and balanced.

While Renaud clearly embraces all his heroes, he also ingeniously presents us with his own unique voice and point-of-view. He is extremely fluid. Hugely emotional. You really feel it! I am particularly blown away by his acoustic guitar playing!

Renaud's creativity (and, dare I say, gratitude) is particularly noticeable on the fourth track of the album, simply called "Pat." It is perhaps the greatest tribute to guitarist, Pat Metheny, ever recorded. He uses the trademark Metheny synthesizer sound to not only create 3 great minutes of music, but it is like he is giving thanks to one of his favorite master teachers. And my oh my has Renaud learned his lessons well.

Every track on "ILUNA" features a wide spectrum of talent from each and every band member. Not one weak link. Everyone complements one another and plays his heart out. Just what we all hope every album should be.

While there is a huge variety of compositional styles, inventive time signatures, and flawless playing by the entire band, it is ultimately the masterful guitar work of Renaud Louis-Servais that unifies it all into a single masterpiece called "ILUNA."

Can't wait to see these guys live! Highly recommended. 5 stars - jazz-rock.com

This new album of phenomenally tasty and exceptionally engineered music is a great debut for the Renaud Louis-Servais Group (R.L.S.G.). I love how the album starts with such a solid rockin' beat by drummer Alain Bidot-Naude over the pulsing synth of Franck Guicherd. Soon the solid basswork of Henri Dorina comes in and then on the 45th second, the pure sonic guitar sound of Renaud Louis-Servais lays down the opening theme. What a breath of fresh, French, fusion air! Renaud himself is wonderfully expressive, articulate, clean, and free of pretense. Nothing is under or overplayed. [check out his YouTube Channel for a closer look]

Like their leader, every band member is also a superb musician. Every track on the album is an inspiration. "ILUNA" is an amazing collection of original music that draws from almost every school of music in the jazz and rock genres. It is full of surprises. If you are a long-time jazz-rock aficianado, you are in for a true treat.

The guitar-legend influences are particularly noticeable if you are a fan of Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, and Scott Henderson. I even hear a little Terje Rypdal in some of those long, soaring sustains during the trilogy of opening tracks. Speaking of which, what a great way to start an album. It is as if Renaud is giving us a mini-25 minute lesson in the history of electric and acoustic jazz-rock music. It is all so very cohesive and balanced.

While Renaud clearly embraces all his heroes, he also ingeniously presents us with his own unique voice and point-of-view. He is extremely fluid. Hugely emotional. You really feel it! I am particularly blown away by his acoustic guitar playing!

Renaud's creativity (and, dare I say, gratitude) is particularly noticeable on the fourth track of the album, simply called "Pat." It is perhaps the greatest tribute to guitarist, Pat Metheny, ever recorded. He uses the trademark Metheny synthesizer sound to not only create 3 great minutes of music, but it is like he is giving thanks to one of his favorite master teachers. And my oh my has Renaud learned his lessons well.

Every track on "ILUNA" features a wide spectrum of talent from each and every band member. Not one weak link. Everyone complements one another and plays his heart out. Just what we all hope every album should be.

While there is a huge variety of compositional styles, inventive time signatures, and flawless playing by the entire band, it is ultimately the masterful guitar work of Renaud Louis-Servais that unifies it all into a single masterpiece called "ILUNA."

Can't wait to see these guys live! Highly recommended. 5 stars - jazz-rock.com

Recording over in France, Renaud Louis-Servais Group released a masterful album of jazz-rock fusion entitled Iluna in 2011. Featuring the extraordinary guitar chops of Renaud Louis-Servais, the nine track Iluna CD features Renaud and his band performing a daredevil cross-section of jazz, rock and fusion instrumentals. 21st century fusion music at its best, Iluna travels all over the musical map and comes across as state of the art instrumental rock in the spirit of 1970’s music legends such as Return To Forever with guitarist Al DiMeola plus an added dose of Weather Report. Renaud’s music is quite intriguing and overall, Iluna makes for some amazing listening for jazz-rock fans and guitar fans in general. Commenting on the making of Iluna during his May 2012 interview with mwe3.com, Renaud adds 'In fact, for me, there are no real frontiers between styles, and this is the main concept of the album. I’ll say that my purpose is to fuse the classical harmony and the jazz harmony with the energy and sound of rock music. - Music Web Express

A 25-year veteran of the European touring circuit despite not yet being 40 years old, French guitarist Renaud Louis-Servais shows inherent seasoning on his self-titled quartet's new Iluna debut. The crafty leader most recently performed and practiced with his rhythm section of Henri Dorina (bass) and Alain Bidot-Naude (drums) for 10 years before adding keyboardist/trumpeter Franck Guicherd and entering the studio.

Iluna illustrates both the chemistry and trust between the talented quartet's members, allowing Louis-Servais to wear his formidable rock and fusion influences on his sleeve. His opening three-song cycle spans 24 minutes, with Theme d'Iluna leading off. Guicherd's atmospheric synthesizer intro leads to several rhythmic shifts by Dorina and Bidot-Naude as the guitarist's use of sustain echoes Gary Moore and Steve Vai.

Euria, part two of the cycle, downshifts into a 6/8-timed cadence that showcases Louis-Servais' clean-toned rhythm playing and soloing. Guicherd shows his dexterity by playing a trumpet solo (as well as keyboard parts on both acoustic and Fender Rhodes electric pianos), and Dorina effortlessly switches from fretless bass back to fretted for part three, the classically-influenced Chani (with a chanted intro by Djamila Ghilani, the only vocal on an otherwise instrumental disc).

Guicherd sticks to acoustic piano on Pat, since Louis-Servais provides the plugged-in textures on guitar synthesizer in a salute to Pat Metheny. The leader also shows glimpses of John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth and Scott Henderson throughout, yet still manages to display his own style as both a player and composer. Gimmick is anything but, featuring a rollicking rhythmic undercurrent, boogie-woogie piano accompaniment by Guillaume Roussel, and banner solos and trades between Louis-Servais and saxophonist Alessandro Nocco.

The saxophonist returns for the tranquil La Quete de Roland, which spotlights Louis-Servais' acoustic guitar finesse, and also for the closing Dom. After the core quartet lures the listener into a fiery, 7/8-timed Magnet 7, and hints at Jeff Beck on the atmospheric Pulse, Nocco rejoins the lineup to take Louis-Servais' final influential nod even further into the stratosphere.

On Dom, the guitarist's clean-toned chords introduce an insistent rhythmic pattern by Dorina and Bidot-Naude, plus accompanying textures by Guicherd and Nocco -- all of which help to build the thematic, whammy bar-driven epic. The feel here is reminiscent of Beck's 1980 CD There and Back, an appropriate theme for Louis-Servais' initial lunar mission.
- See more at: http://www.abstractlogix.com/reviews_view.php?idno=324#sthash.nQmZvuKw.dpuf - AbstractLogix

A 25-year veteran of the European touring circuit despite not yet being 40 years old, French guitarist Renaud Louis-Servais shows inherent seasoning on his self-titled quartet's new Iluna debut. The crafty leader most recently performed and practiced with his rhythm section of Henri Dorina (bass) and Alain Bidot-Naude (drums) for 10 years before adding keyboardist/trumpeter Franck Guicherd and entering the studio.

Iluna illustrates both the chemistry and trust between the talented quartet's members, allowing Louis-Servais to wear his formidable rock and fusion influences on his sleeve. His opening three-song cycle spans 24 minutes, with Theme d'Iluna leading off. Guicherd's atmospheric synthesizer intro leads to several rhythmic shifts by Dorina and Bidot-Naude as the guitarist's use of sustain echoes Gary Moore and Steve Vai.

Euria, part two of the cycle, downshifts into a 6/8-timed cadence that showcases Louis-Servais' clean-toned rhythm playing and soloing. Guicherd shows his dexterity by playing a trumpet solo (as well as keyboard parts on both acoustic and Fender Rhodes electric pianos), and Dorina effortlessly switches from fretless bass back to fretted for part three, the classically-influenced Chani (with a chanted intro by Djamila Ghilani, the only vocal on an otherwise instrumental disc).

Guicherd sticks to acoustic piano on Pat, since Louis-Servais provides the plugged-in textures on guitar synthesizer in a salute to Pat Metheny. The leader also shows glimpses of John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth and Scott Henderson throughout, yet still manages to display his own style as both a player and composer. Gimmick is anything but, featuring a rollicking rhythmic undercurrent, boogie-woogie piano accompaniment by Guillaume Roussel, and banner solos and trades between Louis-Servais and saxophonist Alessandro Nocco.

The saxophonist returns for the tranquil La Quete de Roland, which spotlights Louis-Servais' acoustic guitar finesse, and also for the closing Dom. After the core quartet lures the listener into a fiery, 7/8-timed Magnet 7, and hints at Jeff Beck on the atmospheric Pulse, Nocco rejoins the lineup to take Louis-Servais' final influential nod even further into the stratosphere.

On Dom, the guitarist's clean-toned chords introduce an insistent rhythmic pattern by Dorina and Bidot-Naude, plus accompanying textures by Guicherd and Nocco -- all of which help to build the thematic, whammy bar-driven epic. The feel here is reminiscent of Beck's 1980 CD There and Back, an appropriate theme for Louis-Servais' initial lunar mission.
- See more at: http://www.abstractlogix.com/reviews_view.php?idno=324#sthash.nQmZvuKw.dpuf - AbstractLogix