Francesca Han

Pianist Francesca Han’s music captures both the subtle affectivity of classical music and the uninhibited effusiveness of rock. Having studied both, she has now developed an approach to jazz that leaves a foot planted in tradition while reaching for unique expression.

After achieving rapid success in her native Korea, she was encouraged to move to New York City in 2004. There she received her master’s degree in jazz performance from Queens College under the tutelage of pianists David Berkman and Bruch Barth, trumpeter and arranger Michael Mossman, and saxophonist Antonio Hart.

She also studied with Jason Moran and Ralph Alessi. During her 8 years in NY she performed with various jazz groups in many different venues (Dizzy's Club Jazz at Lincoln Center, 92nd Street Y, Kitano, Sofia, Garage, fatcat, Smalls, Cleopatra's...) as well as at international jazz festivals, like Jarasum Jazz Festival, Taichung Jazz Festival, Penang Jazz Festival. Her performance with the quartet Jayu at Jamaica Center has won critical claim by New York Daily News for its blend of jazz and traditional Korean music.

Since her eponymous debut album “Francesca Han" (M.M. Records) in 2009, Francesca’s playing is characterized by an intimacy that transcends musical boundaries. In 2012 she released her NewYork trio-quartet album "Illusion" (Audioguy) with Ralph Alessi, Drew Grass & Corcoran Holt and Justin Brown, as well as her first solo piano album "Ascetic" (Audioguy). The duo concerts she had in Seoul with trumpeter Alex Sipiagin have been recorded and released in 2014 (‘Dream Episodes’ Audioguy, 2014).

In 2015 Francesca released special album “Blue Suns" (iLiL record), a free jazz improvisation trio, called Avant Trio, with Kim Oki (sax) and Kim SungBae (bass). She also released another album “Icarus" (Audioguy, 2015) of her new contemporary originals with her Korean trio, Lee SoonYong (bass), Shin Dongjin (drums).

In January 2015 Francesca moved to Tokyo, Japan where she has regularly performed in different formats, and notably with a regular trio (Takashi Sugawa (bass) and Shun Ishiwaka (drums)). An album recorded in 2017 at Tokyo's excellent Studio DéDé is finally set to be released in 2026.

In 2021, Francesca happily reunited with trumpeter Ralph Alessi for a few concerts and the recording of the album 'Exude' (HANJI, 2022) at Studios La Buissonne, South of France. This album, very well received by the music press, allowed Francesca to build a name and reputation in France, where she has been based since the summer of 2019.

In the spring of 2023, Francesca met Pierre Fenichel (bass) and Fred Pasqua (drums). The equilateral trio WAKAN was born, and a first repertoire, "Being Dantès," was performed in numerous clubs and then recorded at Studio Recall in Pompignan in December 2024. This album has been released on October 3, 2025 (HANJI / Inouïe Distribution).

In addition to developing WAKAN and continuing her varied collaborations with improvising musicians from South Korea and Japan, Francesca performs as a solo pianist (Jazz in Arles, Jazz en Clunisois, etc.) and teaches jazz piano at the Conservatoire Ouest Provence Michel Petrucciani in Istres, South of France.