David Paquette (born 1950) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

pianist. He has recorded more than 53 albums. Highlights of his career include touring the European jazz circuit, establishing and directing a seventeen-year running annual Jazz Festival on New Zealand’s

Waiheke Island Waiheke Island is the second-largest island (after Great Barrier Island) in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. Its ferry terminal in Matiatia Bay at the western end is from the central-city terminal in Auckland. It is the most populated island ...

, and years as the Musical Director for Sydney Australia's Four Seasons Hotel.

Career

David Paquette was born in 1950 in

Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the List of cities in New England by population, fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Loc ...

. His parents were very active in the New Orleans revival jazz clubs of the early sixties. Paquette would often enjoy basement rehearsals of jazz greats as they visited Connecticut for concerts, and he heard such wonderful musicians as Billie and Dede Pierce, Louis Nelson, Kid Sheik, Sammy Penn, John Handy and Kid Thomas Valentine. Inspired and surrounded by such great artists, Paquette taught himself the basics of traditional jazz piano. During his years at Louisiana State University Paquette learned entertainment and vocal skills performing at Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter. After a year of playing ski resorts and a Chinese restaurant in Aspin, Paquette moved to San Francisco. Here, after playing music on the streets with local buskers, he landed a job as house pianist at the Boarding House and performed as opening act for such budding pop artists as Bette Midler, Taj Mahal, The Pointer Sisters, Doctor John and comic Steve Martin. On vacation in 1973 Paquette discovered the Pioneer Inn on the island of Maui and performed at this hotel for the next 12 years. Here his first album was produced by

John McVie John Graham McVie (; born 26 November 1945) is a British bass guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock bands John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers from 1964 to 1967 and Fleetwood Mac since 1967. His surname, combined with that of drummer ...

of Fleetwood Mac. In Hawaii Paquette was joined by such diverse musicians as Amos Garrett, Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, Turk Murphy and Trummy Young. In 1983, Paquette began to tour extensively in Europe with Sammy Rimington, Lillian Bouette and other exponents of the New Orleans jazz style. He has been featured at most of the important jazz festivals in Europe, New Zealand and Australia and has performed at several of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festivals. In 1984, Paquette was appointed musical director of a tour with

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright and actor. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British India, where he spent his ...

for three months in Australia. Paquette has completed a series of television commercials in New Zealand and has been traveling extensively in Indonesia, Mauritius, Greece, Scandinavia, Bulgaria and the South Pacific. He bought a home on

where he founded the now famous Waiheke Jazz Festival and has also performed with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra. Paquette now resides in

Wairoa Wairoa is the largest town in the Wairoa District and the northernmost town in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west of Mā ...

, Northern Hawkes Bay as is Patron of the Poverty Bay Blues Club, Gisborne. He continues to devote much of his time to The Paquette Jazz Foundation, a trust to support future jazz musicians around the globe. Paquette has recorded with Bring It On Records based in

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

, New Zealand, Art by Heart, Germany, GHB Records, New Orleans.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Paquette, David 1950 births Living people American emigrants to New Zealand American jazz musicians Jazz musicians from Connecticut Musicians from Bridgeport, Connecticut New Zealand jazz musicians Male jazz musicians People from Waiheke Island