
A multi-faceted pianist whose unique style has been nurtured by numerous collaborations over the past 10 years, Paul Lay is entering the big league. After studying at the CNSM in Paris, Paul signed his first trio album in 2010, "Unveiling" (with Simon Tailleu and Elie Duris), a critically acclaimed opus.
Over the past ten years, he has won a string of prestigious awards, including the Prix de Soliste at the Concours de la Défense, the Moscow Piano-Jazz Competition, the Martial Solal Competition, the Montreux Competition, the Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros for his second album, "Mikado", and the Prix Django Reinhardt from the Académie du Jazz.
Paul provokes new collaborations with original formats. In 2015, he created "Billie Holiday, passionnément" a video-musical performance for the Folle Journée de Nantes, alongside video artist Olivier Garouste. This project has been performed at the Philharmonie de Paris, the Trident in Cherbourg, the Roque d'Anthéron Festival and the French May Festival in Hong Kong. At the same time, Paul became an increasingly sought-after sideman. He joined the bands of Riccardo Del Fra, Géraldine Laurent, Eric le Lann and Ping Machine.
In 2017, he released a double-album, "The Party" (with Dre Pallemaerts and Clemens Van Der Feen), and "Alcazar Memories" (with Isabel Sorling and Simon Tailleu). These two singular trios will take them to the four corners of the world for over 70 concerts.
At the end of 2018, Paul releases the album "Thanks a Million", a duet with Eric le Lann, in a vibrant tribute to Louis Armstrong, particularly acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. Paul Lay is a regular guest abroad, performing in New York, Toronto, Berlin and Warsaw. He tours Germany, Russia, Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, China and Japan.
Paul is also the recipient of a number of sponsorships and schemes that make him an official representative of French jazz. He played for International Jazz Day, alongside Barbara Hendricks; as part of Marseille, European Capital of Culture 2013; The Bridge 2017; and with the Mission pour le Centenaire 14-18. Paul also obtains the support of the Centre Culturel de Rencontres les Dominicains de Haute-Alsace, which has invited him for a residency since 2015.
In 2018, he obtained the support of the BNP Paribas Foundation for the development of his career. All these situations enable him to be heard in many places and to have the necessary funding to explore his ideas ,and to now assert himself as an inspired leader.
The "Deep Rivers" album with Isabel Sörling and Simon Tailleu is released in January 2020, to great acclaim. The trio performs around fifty concerts in 2020-2021.
In June 2021, Paul released his first piano-solo album with the Gazebo label: "Full Solo", devoted to original and singular rereadings of Beethoven . The album was enthusiastically received, and topped the Fnac sales charts (No. 1) in the Jazz/Blues category in September 2021.
In September 2022, Paul Lay joins the teaching staff of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris as professor of jazz piano.
In December 2022, Paul Lay releases his brand new opus "Blue in green", a tribute to Bill Evans. Recorded live at La Piccola Scala in February 2022, "Blue in Green" is the first jazz album to be released on the Scala Music label, which has become a Fnac favorite.