Louis Mazetier, Piano Solo

Solo concert from 6PM to 10PM by Louis Mazetier.

Le Paris Montparnasse is a French restaurant.

Reservation is recommended.

Louis Mazetier was born in Paris on February 1, 1960. In 1967, he took his first piano lessons in Aubusson, where his family had settled a year prior.

Around 1974, Louis experienced his first musical revelation upon accidentally discovering Fats Waller. He then began working seriously as a self-taught musician to reproduce records by ear. The Jazz "virus" had struck; a passion was born. Louis avidly and indiscriminately absorbed the music of the great Stride pianists: Fats, of course, James P. Johnson, and Willie Smith, but also Jelly Roll Morton, Boogie Woogie, Blues, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum—the masters of Jazz piano. Influences from Erroll Garner, Hank Jones, Jimmy Rowles, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson, and Bill Evans would follow later.

In 1977, Louis moved to Paris to pursue his studies, first in Math Sup (intensive preparatory programs in mathematics) and then in medicine. He discovered jazz clubs, where he initially participated in jam sessions before becoming the pianist for several amateur bands.

By 1978, Louis was performing in numerous jazz clubs (the London Tavern, Caveau de la Huchette, Slow Club, Petit Journal, La Louisiane, the Cambridge, etc.), thereby getting to know the Parisian music scene.

In 1983, a major encounter occurred with François Rilhac, who became his friend and partner-in-music. Together, they developed an original stride piano duo that met with immediate and immense success from both the public and musicians. In this duo, the joy of playing, swing, and musicality, combined with exemplary technique, sealed a magical chemistry.

It was also during this period that Louis joined Gilbert Leroux’s orchestra, remaining its pianist for over 10 years.

In 1988, Louis Mazetier formed a trio with Patrick Saussois (guitar) and Enzo Mucci (double bass) which notably accompanied Maxime Saury and Benny Waters.

Concurrently, the Paris Washboard orchestra was formed, bringing together Daniel Barda on trombone, Alain Marquet on clarinet, Gilbert Leroux (later replaced by Gérard Bagot) on washboard, and naturally, Louis on piano. Featuring an unconventional instrumentation, this ensemble became one of the most sought-after French orchestras abroad, regularly touring, performing concerts, and achieving consistent success.

After more than 20 years, the orchestra still retains a youthful freshness and energy. Since 1991, Louis has developed a solo career that showcases a subtle, sensitive, yet powerful touch, alongside a personal style where the influence of stride piano blends with that of Art Tatum and more modern pianists.

In 1992, the Académie du Jazz awarded him the Sidney Bechet Prize for Best Traditional Jazz Musician, as well as the Bill Coleman Prize for Best Album. Further awards from the Académie du Jazz and the Hot Club de France would later honor his solo and Paris Washboard recordings in the 2000s. Louis Mazetier is one of the few pianists in the world capable of performing the "traditional" (pre-Bebop) Jazz piano repertoire. This rare talent makes him highly sought after. He is also the composer of several original pieces and has written numerous articles for various jazz magazines.

Since 2000, Louis has performed with the greatest American "classic" jazz musicians (Dick Hyman, Peter Ecklund, Warren Vaché, Ken Peplowski, Jake Hanna, Evan Christopher, etc.) and has given concerts worldwide. His discography includes over forty albums as a soloist, with orchestras, or in piano duos with Neville Dickie, Dick Hyman, Bernd Lhotzky, or Jeff Barnhart.

Louis dedicates his improvisational gifts, musicality, formidable technique, and deep knowledge of classic jazz piano to the music of the masters: Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, Don Lambert, and Art Tatum. He also interprets the greatest jazz standards (George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, etc.) with artistry and passion, while always reserving a place in his recitals for personal compositions and the purest Blues.

A few Wikipedia articles related to Louis Mazetier's universe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Mazetier