Born on the North Coast of Brittany in 1959, Jean-Michel Veillon was first a dancer and then a bombard (old type of double reed oboe, very typical of Brittany) player in his teens. He then started to play the transverse wooden flute, getting his first influences from Irish flute players, but then created distinct fingering and tongueing techniques, more adapted to the Breton music.

Jean-Michel Veillon toured Europe and the U.S extensively in the 1980's as a founder member of the highly praised KORNOG, PENNOU SKOULM, DEN and BARZAZ before turning to duo work with guitaristYvon RIOU.

Widely credited with introducing the simple system wooden flute into Breton folk music, and primarly responsible though his intensive teaching efforts and hundreds of concerts and festivals appearances for its widespread adoption among many dozens of young musicians throughout Brittany, Jean-Michel Veillon has achieved widespread recognition as one of world's premier traditional flute players.

"Many prominent flute players, including John Skelton (of the House Band), view Jean-Michel Veillon as the finest simple-system flute player today. His first solo album E Koad Nizan (1993) is especially beautiful and powerful, with brilliant playing throughout." - Brad Hurley (Irish Flute Guide-USA)

http://jmveillon.net/