Benoit Viellefon

French guitarist, bandleader, singer and producer based in London. Years active as a musician 2001-present. Having toured extensively in Europe and Japan as lead guitarist with groups such as ska legends Gaz Mayall and The Trojans, Prince Buster, Rico Rodriguez, Vin Gordon (Studio1 & Bob Marley), Louis Alphonso (Bad Manners), Nick Welsh (The Selecter, Skaville UK), Rhoda Dakar (The Special AKA), and Eddie "Tan Tan" Thornton (Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Boney M, Aswad), and played bass with Gentleman Tim & The Contenders; Benoit decided it was time to step firmly into the limelight as band leader. Benoit formed his orchestra in 2009 and it was immediately a hit on London's cabaret and vintage speakeasy scene. Since then Benoit and his Orchestra have played all over the UK and Europe to critical acclaim, fulfilling Benoit's vision of a contemporary orchestra who command the dance floor like the master entertainers of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Wether with The Orchestra, The Hot Club or The Trio, Benoit has recorded some well received albums, played many pretigious venues, from residencies at Ronnie Scotts and the Royal Albert Hall, to Glastonbury Festival, BBC radio3, he also appeared in a good number of Hollywood films, TV productions, and some Immersive theatre shows. He got booked by Madonna, Mr Bean, the Kremlin, the Royal Family and many other celebrities to perform at their private events. He is curently living mostly in the UK, but also in France and Japan. Benoit Viellefon has been one of the most important band leader being part of the Swing Revival and Vintage scene that swept the uk between 2008 and 2016. He performed an average of 200-250 shows per year during that period, and about 150 shows a year since. He employed some of the most respected swing musicians and nurtured some of the best British talent who started their professional carreer thanks to him. Among them: Peter Horsfall on trumpet, Duncan Hemstock on Tenor sax and Clarinet, Dave Shulman on Saxes and Clarinet, Joe Webb (Jamie Cullum, The Kansas Smitty's House Band) on piano, Giacomo Smith (The Kansas Smitty's House Band) on Clarinet, Gabrielle Ducomble on vocals, Dan Oates on Violin, Dan Oates piano, Fergus Ireland on Double bass, Martin Wheatley on guitar, Michael Henry on Trumpet... Subscribe to Benoit Viellefon on Bandcamp to have access to exclusive unreleased recordings www.benoitviellefon.bandcamp.com