Fonds P020 - Jean Préfontaine fonds

Jean Doc Préfontaine was born in Montreal September 21, 1926 to a musical family. His father, a biologist, played classical piano, and his mother sang opera; an aunt played piano and harp. While attending boarding school in Joliette, he began playing clarinet and flute. He later taught himself to play alto and tenor saxophone. After receiving an Arts degree from the Université de Montréal, he studied medicine for three years. From 1955 to 1963 he served in the Canadian Army, playing bassoon in various bands. In 1965-1966 he interned in psychology, including music therapy, at the War Veterans Hospital in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. Between 1954 and 1967 he worked frequently as a musician and band leader in and around Montreal. In 1967 he founded Le Quatuor de Jazz du Québec (also known as Quatuor de Nouveau Jazz Libre du Québec, Jazz Libre du Québec, and Jazz Libre). As a member of the quartet, he performed in the musical revues Peuple à genoux, L'Osstidcho (1968), and L'Osstidchomeurt (1969), and worked with Robert Charlebois in concerts and recordings. He was a member of L'Infonie for a few concerts and recordings. With Jazz Libre, he helped organize La Colonie artistique de Val-David (1970), La Ferme du Jazz Libre du Québec (also known as Le Petit Québec Libre) in Ste-Anne-de-la-Rochelle, Quebec, and a coffee house called L'Amorce where Jazz Libre performed regularly. When Jazz Libre disbanded in 1974, he left full-time work as a musician. He became involved in teaching and social and cultural animation projects. He wrote and performed the music for the play L'Aube d'un rêve by Denis Wilford (1975). He moved to the Gaspé region in 1977 and continued teaching. Jean Préfontaine died on June 24, 2008 in New Carlisle, in Gaspésie.