Biography of Frances Knight

Frances Knight has been playing for some years as a jazz musician, educator and tango enthusiast. She initially studied fine art but then began to focus more on jazz piano, studying at Goldsmiths College and later on at the Guildhall School of Music, at the same time working with a variety of different musicians such as Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie Band), Sarah Jane Morris, and on the jazz and improvised side, Maggie Nicolls and Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine.

She recorded two improvised albums with Hugh: 'The Mind in the Trees' featuring Elton Dean and 'The Swimmer' with fabulous vocalist Jan Ponsford. (Voiceprint) She regularly works live with Jan and can be found on her acclaimed album 'In the Sun'

Accompanying jazz vocalists is a favourite aspect of her music and she has recently arranged and played music on an album 'The Song's the Thing' with singer Maureen Connett and saxophonist Stan Sulzmann. In 1997 she released 'Tales From the Front Room' - a trio album which also features local legend Tony Coe.

Ripple - this latest album - is a coming together of diverse influences, from old English Folksong to the Beatles, as well as several original compositions which are both challenging and melodic. Frances is part of London tango group 'Los Mareados' and and is currently studying that Argentinian instrument of tango, the bandoneon, which features on two tracks of Ripple. A long time resident in Canterbury, she also teaches jazz studies at Christchurch University College and other local schools.