A French composer, bassist and improviser born September 12, 1951 in Aix-en-Provence.
Joëlle Léandre studied the double bass with Pierre Delescluse in Aix en Provence before taking advanced classes at the Paris Conservatory. She was greatly inspired by concerts of free jazz and continued her musical discoveries in the USA after having received a bursary from the Center for Creative and Performing Arts of Buffalo (1976). She steeped herself in Afro-American and minimalist music, and met Fred Hopkins, Leroy Jenkins, Butch Morris and John Cage. She is also a laureate of the Villa Medici ‘fuori-i-muri’ (1981), the DAAD of Berlin (1990) and the Villa Kujoyama of Kyoto (1998).
A double bass player, Joëlle Léandre plays with the Ensemble Intercontemporain, 2e2m and L’Itinéraire. Many composers, including John Cage, Betsy Jolas and Giacinto Scelsi, have written especially for her. With more than 180 discs recorded, she has achieved international recognition (Europe, America, Asia) as a performer, an improviser (also using her voice) and jazz musician.
As a composer she has collaborated in the domain of contemporary dance, writing notably for Josef Nadj and Cécile Loyer. She also composes for the stage and gives multidisciplinary performances.
Joëlle Léandre teaches improvisation and composition in the USA.
