Florent Atem Explained

Florent Atem (born 24 November 1979)[1] is a French Polynesian guitarist and academic who was the first Tahitian nominated for a Grammy Award.[2] He is the son of educator Felix Atem and brother of academic and musician Carole Atem.[3]

Biography

Atem was educated at Raitama primary school, Taaone college, and Lycée Paul-Gauguin.[3] He grew up in a musical environment - his sister played the piano, and his father the ukulele. At the age of 15 he learned to play the guitar.[3] After a year of lessons, he took an internship at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood in 1997. While performing in America, he was invited to produce an album by music producer John Cuniberti, known for producing several Joe Satriani albums.[3] He received his first Grammy nomination in 2007.

He later completed a master's degree at the University of French Polynesia,[3] and began teaching at the university in 2007. In 2016 he completed a doctoral thesis on the Lewis and Clark Expedition at Aix-Marseille University.[4] He is currently a lecturer in English and Anglo-Saxon languages and literature at UPF.[3]

Musical career

Atem has been nominated in the Grammy Awards six times, four times with his sister.

Known for Shredder Boy, he is the inventor of the "Slide Picking Technique", developed by him for 15 years.[5]

In 2003, music producer John Cuniberti, said that "Florent is the new Satriani, with a style of his own".[2]

Discography

Solo

Carole & Florent Atem

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Biography . Carole & Florent ATEM . 7 May 2023.
  2. Web site: Florent Atem . Eminence . 7 May 2023.
  3. Web site: Carole et Florent Atem, l’inséparable fratrie . Tahiti Infos . fr . 22 February 2023 . 7 May 2023.
  4. Web site: Florent Atem : musicien et docteur en études anglophones . Tahiti Infos . fr . 27 September 2016 . 7 May 2023.
  5. Web site: Interview and Video: Guitarist Florent Atem Discusses His Slide Picking Technique . Guitar World . Dave Reffett . 17 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111120063045/http://www.guitarworld.com/interview-and-video-guitarist-florent-atem-discusses-his-slide-picking-technique . 20 November 2011.
  6. Web site: Discography . Carole & Florent ATEM . 7 May 2023.