François Lindemann

François Lindemann stands out as a jazz pianist and composer. After several years at the conservatory in his hometown, he continues his training as a self-taught musician. The discovery of jazz, particularly its improvisational aspect through the Jazz Messengers, Clifford Brown, and Coltrane’s Quartet in the 1960s, is a true revelation for him. Realizing that these musicians play their own music, he creates his orchestra and starts writing his own thematic material as early as 1969.

In 1986, François Lindemann founded Piano Seven, an ensemble of seven Steinway pianos playing music composed by seven musicians. This formation invites a musician from a different genre every three years, such as percussionist-singer Pascal Auberson, cellist François Guye, classical pianist Brigitte Meyer, or accordionist Jacques Bolognesi. He participates in numerous festivals in Switzerland, France, the USA, and Asia, and for nearly 40 years, he has been composing for all the ensembles he leads. Describing himself as a free spirit, he has collaborated with many Swiss and international artists, and has recorded and performed with Daniel Humair, Alvin Queen, Curtis Fuller, Glenn Ferris, Carla Bley, Léon Francioli, Olivier Clerc, Longineu Parsons, Erik Truffaz, Tewan, Robin Eubanks, Steve Swallow, and Woody Shaw.

François Lindemann has also composed music for theater and contemporary ballet. He is passionate about inter-ethnic musical experiences, particularly with traditional artists from Southeast Asia. A recipient of the Grand Prix from the Vaud Foundation for the Promotion and Artistic Creation in 1997, he has taught at HEMU JAZZ while continuing his musical projects.