Alain Jean-Marie 's biography |  Guadeloupe

Biography

Pianist Alain Jean-Marie was born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadalupe. He is a self-taught musician. He moved to Paris in 1973 and got his first job at La Cigale, with Robert Mavounzy and Al Lirvat. Since 1976, he has regularly backed major solo artists: Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, Art Farmer, Slide Hampton, Johnny Griffin, Clark Terry and Lee Konitz, among others. In the 1980s, he played and recorded with Charles Tolliver, Harry Edison, Eddie “Lock-jaw” Davis, Cat Anderson and Abbey Lincoln. In 1986, Dee Dee Bridgewater appointed him director of the musical Lady Day, and he has accompanied the singer ever since then. He recorded Latin Alley with Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen. He also started a long collaboration with Barney Wilen, backing him on stage and on records such as Dreamtime. Biguine Reflections is the name of the four-CD set, recorded in a trio setting, which marks his return to his Caribbean roots. He plays with Eric Vinceno (electric bass) and Jean-Claude Montredon (drums). He also directs the Chofé Biguine La, a big band project that brings together his trio with Patrice Caratini’s ensemble. With Gilles Naturel (double bass) and Philippe Soirat (drums), his stage partners at this year’s BAJ, he stays true to the classic be-bop trio. In 1997, he began to record piano solo albums. Some of his releases include: Afterblue (1999) and That’s What.