Background
Pilc, Jean-Michel was born on October 19, 1960 in Paris, France. Son of Maurice Pilc and Elisabeth Bachrach.
Pilc, Jean-Michel was born on October 19, 1960 in Paris, France. Son of Maurice Pilc and Elisabeth Bachrach.
Diploma, Ecole Polytechnique, 1981.
His technical ability has drawn comparisons to Michel Petrucciani, McCoy Tyner, and Cecil Taylor. Of particular note is Pilc"s left-hand technique, which provides an almost ambidextrous approach to the keyboard. While living in Europe, Pilc toured in forty countries and participated in more than a dozen recordings, as well as one film score.
Pilc moved to New York City in 1995.
There, he formed a trio with François Moutin (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). Soon, they were performing in most jazz venues in New York City, including Blue Note, Birdland, Knitting Factory and Sweet Basil.
They recorded a one-week engagement at Sweet Basil and, in 2000, released the 2-Civil Defense Jean-Michel Pilc Trio - Together - Live at Sweet Basil, New York City - Volume 1 & 2 (A-Records), which received critical acclaim in the United States and in Europe.
Then Pilc signed a multi-record deal with Dreyfus Jazz.
Pilc"s first album for Dreyfus, Welcome Home (featuring the same trio), was released at the beginning of 2002. The Jean-Michel Pilc Trio did a 5-week tour for the release of Welcome Home in 2002, followed by a 4-week fall tour of seven European countries (including the Rising Stars Tour in Germany, Austria and Switzerland). They have recently performed in numerous festivals and venues around the world.
Pilc"s next album for Dreyfus, Cardinal Points, was released in 2003.
JazzTimes chose the Civil Defense as one of its Top 50 Picks for Critics Picks 2003, and the album received a four-star "Hot Box" review in Down Beat. Cardinal Points features Pilc"s extended work "Trio Sonata", funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
In 2004, Pilc released his first solo album, Follow Maine (Dreyfus). That year he also toured worldwide, performing solo and with his New Trio, featuring Thomas Bramerie (bass) and Mark Mondesir (drums).
In addition to his solo and trio engagements, he teaches in clinics and master classes.
Pilc and his New Trio were recorded live at Iridium Jazz Club, New York City, in October 2004. The resulting live album was released on Dreyfus in October 2005. He also released New Dreams with this trio in 2007, also on the Dreyfus label.
As a sideman, he has recently played and recorded with drummer Ari Hoenig (The Painter on Smalls Records), vocalists Elisabeth Kontomanou (The Midnight Sun on Nocturne) and J-Doctorate Walter, bassist/vocalist Richard Bona (Scenes from my Life on Sony/Columbia), soprano saxist Sam Newsome (latest Palmetto release), and altist Rosario Giuliani (More Than Ever on Dreyfus).
In 2011, Pilc"s trio reunited Pilc Moutin Hoenig and signed with Motéma to record a comeback project He released his newest album, titled Essential, on the Motéma Music label in May, 2011.
He is now an Associate Professor of Jazz at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal, Queen's Counsel, Canada.
In addition to his own projects, he is a member of a group led by drummer Ari Hoenig.
Married Muriel Vergnaud, March 16, 1996.