Sylvain Leroux (alto sax & fula flute) was born in Montréal. He studied classical music at Vincent d’Indy School of Music and at the University of Montreal. He attended the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY where he was exposed to World music, participating in workshops led by world class artists.

In 1978, in Montréal, he worked with Yaya Diallo in performances and recording of the LP “Nangapè.”

In 1981 Sylvain founded the group Mysterioso, dedicated to the music of jazzman Thelonious Monk and performed at the Montréal International Jazz Festival, 1983.

At the same time, he was also a member of Bantamba a group that broke new ground in the meeting of traditional and modern African music. In the early nineties, he founded his own group and released a recording: “Sylvain Leroux and the Maintenance Crew.”

Since 1990, Sylvain also became active as a free lance musician in New York, playing for many groups and dance companies in the Afro-Brazilian, African and African-American field. In 1995, he took a trip to Conakry, Guinea (West Africa) to study the tambin (Fula flute), the peculiar flute of the Fulani people.

He has become one of the rare outsiders to play this astonishing instrument. He has recorded with: Takadja Ñ on the Juno nominated album “Diye“; Nego Gato; Naby Camara; Mohamed Diaby; Magbana; Martino Atangana; Abdoulaye Diabate; Lucia Hwong; Emeline Michel; on the 2005 World music masterpiece BataMbira by Michael Spiro and Michael Williams

And this year he recorded and released a CD with the Giuean dance band MANDINGO AMBASSADORS which consists of three griots: band leader and veteran guitarist Mamady “Djelike” Kouyate, the charismatic young vocalist/dancer Ismael “Bon Fils” Kouyate, and journeyman rhythm guitarist Mamady Kourouma.
He leads the Fula Flute Ensemble and the African Jazz group SOURCE.