Renaud PENANT was born in 1959 in Normandy, France. He moved to Paris in 1980, After studying with the legendary Jimmy COBB in 1992 during a visit to the United States, he decided to move to New York. He finally was able to do so in 1995, and has been living here since then. He has studied in the States with Joe CHAMBERS, Charli PERSIP, Joe STRASSER and Joe FARNSWORTH. He has performed with musicians like Joe MAGNARELLI, Grant STEWART, Bob CRANSHAW, John WEBBER, Mike LeDONNE, John FARNSWORTH, Mike MULLINS, Sacha PERRY, Joe COHN, Zaid NASSER, Jerry WELDON, William ASH, Roy MERRIWETHER, Dan NIMMER, Ugona OKEGWO, Rob BARGAD, Adam SCONE, Pat BIANCHI, Annette St JOHN, Satoshi INOUE, Carla WHITE . . . For two years he played for the Saturday Jam Session at Smalls with the John MERRILL Trio, and his regular engagements now include weekly gigs at Smoke with his trio (with Steve ASH and Mike KARN), and at the Harlem Col. Charles Young American Legion Post 398 with the Seleno CLARKE Trio. He recently recorded and performed at Smoke with the Joe FARNSWORTH World Rhythm Octet which features musicians such as the legendary Curtis FULLER, Ray MANTILLA, Steve NELSON, Jim ROTONDI, Eric ALEXANDER, David HAZELTINE, Anthony WONSEY, Nat REEVES and Abdou M??™BOUP. He also performed at Smalls in March 2006 with the Chris BYARS' Lucky THOMPSON Tribute project in a quartet setting that includes the great John HICKS on piano and Ari ROLAND on bass.