Julien Marga
© Didier Péron

Julien Marga

French guitarist, after an initial training in music theory and classical saxophone during his childhood, Julien Marga begins in 2001 the study of classical guitar with Frederic Ponthieux.


As a teenager, Julien Marga develops a strong attraction for jazz, which pushes him to study with Andry Ravaloson in the Jazz class of Lomme, then at the Lille Conservatory, with Christophe Hache, Jérémie Ternoy, Alexis Therain as teachers. 


He continued his academic career at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where he studied with Fabien Degryse, Victor Da Costa, Jean Louis Rassinfosse, Pirly Zurstrassen, Arnould Massart, Manuel Hermia, Phil Abraham, Fabrice Alleman, before completing his master's degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Antwerpen with Frédérik Leroux.


Since 2011, Julien Marga has been leading his personal project as a quartet with which he has recorded an EP and two albums, the most recent of which, Hypnosis, was released in October 2017. A formation that won the Sunside Trophies 2016, the Tonnerre de Jazz 2019 (Pau, France) and CosmoJazz Sacem 2019 springboards.


"One of the strong points remains the telepathic understanding between the guitarist and his pianist Geoffrey Fiorese (...) They are pushed around by a rhythm section that doesn't let them go for a second (...) His warm, uncluttered lyricism marks a predilection for aerial, soaring atmospheres, with a particular setting that gives the impression of flying above the fray. The construction of his choruses often gives the sensation of a climb to high altitudes"

Jazz Magazine


In 2018, he created the group Rahona, a two-guitar quintet at the crossroads of European jazz and Malagasy music, featuring Malagasy guitarist Joël Rabesolo and Manuel Hermia on tenor saxophone. Their first album, produced by the label homerecords.be, was notably elected Top Jazz Mezzo in October 2020.


"Airy, finely crafted, the compositions incite a tight contemplation, carried away by the sweet nostalgia of the melodies and spurred by the quality of the dialogue between the musicians. A trial run, a master stroke".

Radio Télévision Suisse / L'écho des Pavanes


For several years, Julien has performed on many stages and festivals, including: Jazz à Vienne, Cosmo Jazz, Juan Les Pins, Joly Jazz Festival, Jazz Club de Dunkerque, Tourcoing Jazz Festival, Jazz En Nord, Sunset/Sunside (Paris), Brosella Festival, Gaume Jazz Festival, Jazz à Liège, Festival d'Art de Huy, Pelzer Jazz Club, Sounds Jazz Club, Jazz Station (Belgique), Kudeta Carlton Club (Madagascar), Savanna Jazz Club (USA, San Francisco)...