Jean Derome, born June 29, 1955, in Montreal, Quebec, is a French Canadian avant-garde saxophonist, flautist, and composer. He studied music theory at Cégep de Saint-Laurent between 1972 and 1975 and flute at Conservatoire de Musique du Quebec between 1975 and 1979. Derome formed his first band, Nébu, in 1973, one of Quebec’s earliest avant-garde jazz groups, releasing Nébu (1978) and Motus (1980) before disbanding in 1981. In 1978, he co-founded EMIM (Ensemble de Musique Improvisée de Montréal). He began playing alto saxophone with La Grande Aventure in 1983 and later joined Mystérioso and Évidence, groups dedicated to the music of Thelonious Monk. Derome has released seven solo albums, including "Confitures de gagaku" (1988), and composed scores for over 30 films. He won the second annual Canadian Freddie Stone Award in 1992.
