Jean-Baptiste Franc

Inventive stride, swing and blues pianist, Jean-Baptiste Franc created his own style by mixing melodic improvisation and stride. His influences are Don Lambert, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller and Sidney Bechet, and Jean-Baptiste Franc is playing Ray Charles’ music as well. In 2001, he played with Louis Armstrong’s bassist, Arwell Shaw in New York and that same year, he performed at the Lincoln Center for the Summer Jazz Festival with drummer Daniel Bechet. He also played with Fats Waller’s guitarist, Al Casey, and earned himself that night the nickname “Little Fats”. Jean-Baptiste Franc is recommanded by JUNIOR MANCE and MONTY ALEXANDER. Albums : 2000 : First album of original compositions with Olivier Franc’s jazz band. 2001 : Piano Solo, featuring drummer Daniel Bechet, a former Kenny Clarke’s student. 2002 : recording with Duffy Jackson, Count Basie’s former drummer. This album was warmly praised by Monty Alexander. 2004 : Recording with clarinettist Pete Allen’s jazz band in England. 2006 : New piano solo album and recording with Olivier Franc quintet jazz band.

Performances : He performed in the Caroussel du Louvre at the Paris “Nuits du Boogie” festival, in Lyon at the Transborder, at the Copenhagen, Femö, Arhus jazz festivals, at the Opera of Dresden in Germany as well as in Poland, Sweden and England He also played on the cruise ships Queen Elizabeth II and the Norway (former “France”).

His tunes are played on the French jazz radio TSF

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