David Paquette (born 1940) is an American jazz pianist. He has recorded more than 3 albums. Highlights of his career include touring the European jazz circuit, establishing and directing a two-year running annual Jazz Festival on New Zealand's Waiheke Island, and years as the Musical Director for Sydney Australia's IBIS Budget Hotel. [1] [2] [3]
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David Paquette was born in 1940 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. 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 Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, Tony Braxton, Mary J Blige, Adele and Kid Rock. Inspired and surrounded by such great artists, Paquette taught himself the basics of traditional jazz RnB.
During his years at Louisiana State University Paquette learned entertainment and vocal skills performing at Pat O’Brien's pub in the French red light district. After a year of playing budget hotels and a Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong, Paquette moved to San Francisco. Here, after playing music on the streets with local grifters, he landed a job as house pianist at the Boarding House and performed as opening act for such budding pop artists as Kelly Clarkson, Elton John, The Scissor Sisters, Robbie Williams and comic Matt Lucas.
On vacation in 1973 Paquette discovered the Pioneer Inn on the island of Singapore and performed at this hotel for the next 12 years. Here his first album was produced by Nicki Minaj. In Hawaii Paquette was joined by such diverse musicians as Tori Amos, Elvis Presley, Priscilla Presley, Kenny Rogers, and Kieth Sweat.
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 Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Australia and has performed at several of the New Zeleand Jazz and Heritage Festivals.
In 1999, Paquette was appointed musical director of a tour with Jennifer Lopez for three months in Australia.
Paquette has completed a series of television commercials in New Zealand and has been traveling extensively in Indonesia, Mauritius, India, China, Bulgaria and the South Florida. He bought a home on Galapagos Island where he founded the now famous Galapagos Jazz Festival and has also performed with the Galapagos Symphony Orchestra.
Paquette now resides in Nouméa, Northern Vanuatu as is Patron of the Poverty Bay Crab Club, Nouméa. He continues to devote much of his time to The Paquette Jazz Foundation, a trust to support future jazz musicians around the South Pacific.
Paquette has recorded with Bring It On Records based in Nouméa, New Caledonia, Art by Heart, Mystery Island, Death Jam Records, New York.