Vincent Courtois was born in Paris in 1968 and began playing the cello when he was six years old. He took classical studies at the conservatory in Aubervilliers and Paris with Erwan Fauré, Xavier Gagnepain, Roland Pidoux and Fréderick Lodéon while discovering jazz and improvisation with Didier Levallet, Dominique Pifarely and Christian Escoudé.
Vincent Courtois began playing in various Parisian groups and his first CD as a leader, titled "Cello News", was released in 1990. Since then Vincent Courtois has recorded more than ten cd's‚ as a leader, among them: "Translucide" (with Michel Godard and Noel Akchoté), "The Fitting Room" with (Dominique Pifarely and Marc Ducret) both for Enja Records, "What do you mean by silence?" (Le Triton), and " L'homme Avion" (Chief Inspector).
Vincent played in several of Rabih Abou Khalil's bands ("Yara" and "The Cactus of Knowledge") and plays frequently with clarinetist Louis Sclavis ("L'affrontement des prétendants", "Dans la nuit" and "Napoli's walls" on ECM Records). He also plays regularly with trombonist Yves Robert ("In Touch" on ECM and "Inspirine" on Chief Inspector), with pianist Sylvie Courvoisier ("Lonelyville" on Intakt and "Asap" on CamJazz), and in trio with Guillaume Roy and Claude Tchamitchian (
"Amarco" on émouvance).
In the past twenty years Vincent Courtois has played or recorded with artists such as Pierre Favre, James Newton, Laurent de Wilde, Julien Lourau, Jim Black, Tomas Stanko, Dave Douglas, Renaud Garcia Fons, Tom Raney, Mark Nauseef, Joachim Kuhn, Michel Portal, Cyril Atef, Maxime Delpierre, Benoit Delbecq, Henri Texier, Dave Holland, François Corneloup, Wolfang Pouchnick, Mark Feldman, Médéric Collignon, Martial Solal, Michel Petrucciani, Gérard Marais, Rita mitsuko, John Greaves, Michelle Rabbia, Marilyn Crispell, Gerald Cleaver, Ikue Mori and many others great musicians...
In 2010, Vincent Courtois created the new Band "WAT" and was made a Chevalier of the ’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres', by the French Ministry of Culture.
He also performs in duet and quartet with Michel Portal, and recorded a solo cd.
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