Francis Kuipers, Jazz Guitar (a biography)

Anglo/Dutch musician, musicologist, music co-ordinator and composer for innovative media communications and film Francis Kuipers has been resident in Italy since the 1960’s and has lived long periods in Holland, Britain, Spain, New Zealand, India, The Philippines, The Seychelles and the United States.

As a young boy growing up in Britain and Holland, traditional North American music re-discovered during The Folk Revival, and jazz and blues in particular, represented freedom and excitement for Francis. He turned this attraction into a career as a guitarist. For years he has played in venues all over the world.

Vedette, Red Records, Durium, Fonit-Cetra, Fabbri Editori, Folkstudio Records, Gypsy Records, amongst others, have published his recorded work. The CD Anthology is available from www.guitar9.com

On his journeys Francis collected and studied ethno-music worldwide. This activity developed into ongoing research into the function of sound and music.
He has produced numerous series of radio broadcasts on music and its functions for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation and for the Italian RAI networks.

From 1992-96 he directed the Music & Sound Department at Fabrica, the school of Multimedia Communications founded by Luciano Benetton and Oliviero Toscani near Treviso. Benetton radio spots, created by him (with script by Fabrizio Andreella) won the European Grand Prix best radio publicity 1995- 96.

Apart from performing, Francis principally directs, co-ordinates and composes film scores. His credits include Anima Mundi, directed by Godfrey Reggio with music by Philip Glass, the nature film produced by Bulgari for the World Wildlife Fund, winner of many awards, and the recently released Naqoyqatsi, feature film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music by Philip Glass with the participation of Yo Yo Ma, produced by Lawrence Taub and Steven Soderbergh.
“Mary” starring Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker, Mathew Modine and Heather Graham, directed by Abel Ferrara, with an orginal music score by Francis won the Grand Prize of the Jury at the 2005 Venice Filmfestival.

website: http://www.franciskuipers.com/maineng.html