Jean-Luc Thomas Quartet will unveil ‘Sillons’, Jean-Luc Thomas‘s 11th album released under his
own name by Hirustica, on its release date of 8 May 2026 (digital and CD) by Hirustica / InOuïe
Distribution. The single ‘Takamba Yacouba’ has been available since 6 March 2026 on all
platforms.

After 25 years of experimentation, encounters and travels, flutist and composer Jean-Luc Thomas
wanted to create a group in his own name, the Jean-Luc Thomas Quartet. For this new musical
adventure, he has surrounded himself with musicians from the national scene, coming from jazz,
traditional music and even early music. Together, they share a taste for melody, rhythm and
improvisation, but also an openness to each other and to the cultures of the world. Following this
creation and a series of concerts, Jean-Luc Thomas wanted to produce an album entitled
‘Sillons’. This album is intended to be both a musical travel journal and a vibrant tribute to all the
masters he has encountered along the way: from the warmth of festoù-noz and pubs nourished by
oral tradition to the popular music of Niger, Brazil and India.

Cast:

  • Jean-Luc Thomas (flutes, composition and arrangements)
  • Simon Le Doaré (double bass, arrangements and orchestration)
  • Timothée Le Net (diatonic accordion and arrangements)
  • Hugo Pottin (drums and arrangements)
  • Guest artists: Catherine Delaunay (clarinets); Marie-Suzanne de Loye (viola da gamba); Line
    Willerval (gadulka).

It can be learned, taught and theorised, but music will never completely break away from
its roots. We must always be more open to the world and those who inhabit it. No one
understands this requirement better than Jean-Luc Thomas, now one of France’s greatest
flute players in the field of traditional and improvised music.

Originally from Trégor, his musical horizons continue to expand as he travels the world.
Jean-Luc Thomas collaborates with musicians and singers from Brittany, Mali, Poland,
Brazil, India and the Arab world, including traditional, classical and jazz musicians (Carlos
Malta, Michel Godard, Yacouba Moumouni, Vitor Lopes, Ravichandra Kulur, etc.), and
joined the Théâtre Équestre Zingaro (‘Ex-Anima’) for three years.

A tireless explorer of the world and its traditions, he has never compromised his artistic
integrity for commercial gain. In all his attempts to unite different musical styles, Jean-Luc
Thomas has never been satisfied with formulas, tricks or shortcuts. For him, human dignity
is not something to be traded: ‘We receive such great things…,’ he marvels. ‘My flute has
opened the doors of the world to me.’ And it is a whole world that his flute invites us to
discover in return.

Adapted from the biography written by Louis-Julien Nicolaou (Les Inrocks – Télérama)