# Vincent Peirani, winner of France’s most prestigious Jazz prize: Photos, Live full concert video 2019

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/10/29/vincent-peirani-winner-of-frances-most-prestigious-jazz-prize-photos-live-full-concert-video-2019/
- Published: 2019-10-29T19:35:44+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Vincent Peirani is an accordionist and composer who, earlier this month, won Album
of the Year in the prestigious Victoires du Jazz, an annual awards ceremony in France.
On this edition of My Music, we’ll join Peirani on a listening tour of his winning
album,Living Being II – Night Walker.**

Like the Grammys, the Victoires du Jazz are determined by a large body of voting
members in the music industry. Peirani has now won three of these awards in his 
career, including one in the category of “Instrumental Revelation,” in 2014.

[  ](https://i0.wp.com/mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wbgo/files/styles/x_large/public/201910/vincent_peirani2.jpg?ssl=1)

Vincent Peirani receives his Victoire du Jazz Award in Paris

Credit Quentinprod

As that phrase implies, one thing that makes Peirani unique, and also distinctly
French, is the instrument he plays. The accordion has a firm place in the history
of French popular culture, specifically with genres like chanson — but the instrument
isn’t typically associated with jazz. In modern times, it has often been characterized
as _gauche_.

As we’ll hear in the episode, Peirani amusingly addresses these obstacles, admitting
that he didn’t have much say in his musical fate. His accordion-infatuated father
demanded he play the instrument, despite Peirani often feeling like the laughingstock
of his peers.

Through his focus and his fearlessness, often charging the stage at Parisian jam
sessions, Peirani began winning audiences over. He eventually received invitations
to play in a hodgepodge of musical settings — with African griot masters, thrash
metal rockers, flamenco serenaders, and everything in between.

Peirani’s true passion for rock, classical music, and, of course jazz, are delicately
woven together on his _Living Being II – Night Walker. _He is currently on tour 
in Europe.

![Vincent Peirani Performing at The Victoire du Jazz Award Ceremony](https://i0.
wp.com/www.wbgo.org/sites/wbgo/files/styles/medium/public/201910/vincent4.jpg?w=
640&ssl=1)

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