Born on 20 March: Chilly Gonzales, the pianist who loves to go off the rails…

This is obviously not the real name of the Canadian pianist born in 1972 in Montreal (Canada), but Jason Charles just isn't as fun!

His Hungarian Ashkenazi Jewish family fled Nazism during the Second World War and settled in the land of the maple leaf. Classically trained, he has always delighted in shaking things up and spicing his art with a good dose of humour, sometimes with a hint of vulgarity. Before competing with Richard Clayderman (thankfully less pretentious) and choosing a spicy pseudonym, Jason first attempted a pop star career with Son, a band that had the brilliant idea to call their first album Thriller in the early 90s. Another much more well-known artist had already used the same title in 1982 with far greater success…

As an excellent pianist indeed, from his first steps under the pseudonym that few conservatories endorsed, Chilly has always managed to combine impeccable technical skill with humour. Without false modesty, he titled his first album in 2000 Chilly über alles, while the next one, just a few months later, still features on his business card. The Entertainist is indeed him!

He, who loves performing on stage in a dressing gown and slippers (UGGs if you please), is not only noticed for his borrowings from hip-hop with The Worst MC as a strong nod or atmospheric trip hop with Feist for Shameless Eyes. He also mastered the use of social media, then in its infancy. In May 2009, he became the king of buzz by performing over 300 pieces in a row for a concert lasting 27 hours and a few minutes. A bit crazy Chilly? Absolutely!

Yet, it's his more conventional recordings such as Solo Piano (2004), Solo Piano II (2012), Chambers (2015), Solo Piano III (2018) or their live version in 2025 that allowed him to hold his own against Ludovico Einaudi and Sofiane Pamart.

Of course, his antics, such as French Kiss in 2023, aren't always in the best taste, but the Hoffmann busker seemingly has no intention of abandoning his dubious wordplay or bizarre collaborations like the very recent Barbecue in Winter with rapper Souffrance.

Upcoming concerts:

14 April: Grand Théâtre - Quebec (Canada)

16/18 April: Rialto - Montreal (Canada)

23 April: Massey Hall - Toronto (Canada)

10 June: Casino de Paris - Paris (France)

24 July: Fourvière Nights - Lyon (France)

18 October: OM - Seraing/Liège (Belgium)

Photo: Chilly Gonzalez on stage at the Festival des Libertés in Brussels (Belgium) on 24 October 2021