Louis-Vincent Hamel, originally from Quebec City, has been playing drums for nearly 20 years. After four years of private lessons with Raynald Drouin and others, he entered the Conservatoire de musique de Québec to study classical percussion. He then began a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance at Université Laval. In 2013, he was accepted to McGill University and won the Jacqueline Lallemand scholarship for academic excellence. After completing his undergraduate degree, he was awarded the McGill Graduate Excellence Fellowship in 2016 and completed his master’s degree under the supervision of John Hollenbeck. Louis-Vincent is now recognized as a pillar of the Canadian jazz scene and among the finest drummers of his generation. He is a member of renowned saxophonist Yannick Rieu’s Génération Quartet, as well as the Gentiane MG Trio, winner of the 2018-2019 Révélation Jazz Radio-Canada award. His performances earned him the Opus award for best jazz concert of the year in 2015 (with Rémi Bolduc), as well as a Juno nomination in 2023.

(with Rafael Zaldivar). Louis-Vincent performs regularly on national and international stages.

music festivals and featured on many of the world’s most prestigious record labels.

numerous albums alongside major Canadian artists. His debut album Self Enquiry earns a place in the Best Canadian Jazz Albums of 2019 (Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen). Alongside his activities as a performer and composer, Louis-Vincent has been passing on his passion for the drums for the past 10 years, using an approach informed by his extensive experience.