Jazz pianist and composer
François Bourassa is one of Quebec's most accomplished jazz pianists and composers, who has become over the decades a true ambassador of the Quebec jazz scene on the international stage. A graduate of McGill University and holder of a Master's degree from the New England Conservatory — where he studied under Fred Hersch and George Russell — he established his reputation in 1985 by winning first prize at the Montreal International Jazz Festival competition, launching a touring career across Europe, Asia, and North America.
For over 25 years, his eponymous quartet — featuring bassist Guy Boisvert, saxophonist André Leroux, and drummer Guillaume Pilote — has been a cornerstone of the Montreal artistic landscape. Their live album recorded at the Top of the Senator in Toronto won a Juno Award in 2001, and over the past decade, the group has accumulated several Félix and Opus awards. Bourassa also received SOCAN's Hagood Hardy Award in 2011 in recognition of his work as a composer.
The author of ten albums of original music, his most recent works include Number 9 (2017), L'Impact du silence (2021) — his first solo album, recorded at Studio La Buissonne in the south of France — and Swirl (2023), a live album by the François Bourassa Quartet recorded at Studio Piccolo in Montreal. A tireless collaborator, he continues to multiply artistic projects, orchestral commissions, and residencies in New York and Paris, reflecting a musical curiosity that knows no boundaries.