Recognized as one of the most talented jazz saxophonists in the world, Yannick Rieu is the recipient of the 18th Oscar Peterson Award, acknowledging his outstanding musicianship and exceptional contribution to the development of Canadian jazz. His music is best defined by its constant evolution.
The press around the world is full of praise for him. In 1988, Downbeat magazine (New York) placed him alongside saxophonists such as Brandford Marsalis and Joe Lovano in a “critics poll”. Others compare his playing to that of Stan Getz or Chris Potter (L’Express, Canada).
The Journal de Montréal (Canada) calls him “One of the world’s 20 best jazz saxophone players” or still “Canada’s greatest jazz poet” ( Jazzman, France)