Patrick Bouffard

A master of the hurdy-gurdy, a stringed instrument in which the strings are rubbed by a rosined wheel instead of a bow, Patrick Bouffard was inspired by the clarinet playing of Fréderic Paris, in the French band Chavanne, to incorporate jazz, rock, and pop influences into his tradition-rooted music. He paid tribute to Paris with his 1998 album Gilded Boat, which featured his workings of Paris' compositions and traditional airs. A native of Central France, Bouffard began playing the hurdy-gurdy in 1975, three years before hearing Paris for the first time. He released his self-titled debut album in 1990. ~ Craig Harris