Researched musician profile
About Francois Bourassa
Bourassa’s official biography identifies him as a Montréal-born pianist and composer whose studies included McGill University and New England Conservatory. It documents teaching and clinician work at McGill, UQAM, and Université de Montréal alongside his performance career.[1]
The official site dates his trio’s development to the 1985 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and the quartet’s formation with saxophonist André Leroux in 1996. It distinguishes that long-running group from solo piano, orchestral commissions, chamber writing, and other collaborative projects.[1]
Swirl documents the quartet in a live 2022 Studio Piccolo session released in 2023, with Bourassa on piano and compositions, Leroux on reeds, Guy Boisvert on bass, and Guillaume Pilote on drums. The quartet’s Bandcamp streams all six pieces and preserves the session credits.[1][2]
Long-running quartet
Bourassa’s official history traces the Montréal ensemble from its 1996 expansion through its later recording work.[1]
Solo and chamber writing
The official biography separates solo piano, orchestral commissions, chamber works, and ballet scores from quartet activity.[1]
Swirl
The six-track live album preserves Bourassa’s quartet compositions and exact 2022 recording personnel.[1][2]