Outstanding pianist, arranger and composer, Didier Squiban is equally renowned as the director of his jazz orchestra. His musical work is the happy combination of traditional Breton music, jazz improvisation and classical romanticism. He reveals in this alchemy an exceptional talent.

He begins the piano in 1959 with a classical background at the Brest Conservatoire of Music. As he discovers Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, he'll turn his music to jazz. A few years after, he'll go into Breton music, a music that surrounded him from 1987 to 1993 through concerts in common with Manu Lannhuel, Kristen Nogues...

Since 1994, as he takes part to the 'Heritage des Celtes' and performs regularly with Yann-Fanch Kemener, he'll go deeper into Breton music and create his own show: 'Brest 96' with 'An Tour Tan'.

In 1997 is produced his first solo album, 'Molene' with a huge welcome from the audience (Breton music as well as jazz or classical music lovers). Two years later, comes the second one 'Porz gwenn', in February 2000, his live album, recorded during the 1999 Festival de Lorient concert. And finally, the 'Symphonie Bretagne' where he's joined by the Bretagne Orchestra directed by Didier Benetti, the Contrepoint choir, Josik Allot and his bombard, Bernard le Dreau and Rene Goaer with their saxes, Alain Trevarin and his accordion and Jean Chevalier with his drums. An album orchestrated by Pierre-Yves Moign.

The 'Rozbras'album, a new step into Dider's classical-jazzy-celtic musical world. Like 'Molene' and 'Porz gwenn', together with the CD comes a booklet with beautiful pictures by Michel Thersiquel, one of Brittany's most famous photographers.

The latest album, 'Ballades', is a musical voyage along the Globe. From Marrakech or Istambul to Asia (where Didier had an important tour in 2002) and back to Scotland, Ireland and Brittany

www.arbedkeltiek.com/saozneg/music/squiban.htm#man