Jean-Claude Petit, a renowned French composer and arranger, was born on November 14, 1943, in Vaires-sur-Marne. As a child, he was fascinated by jazz and began accompanying jazzmen, which sparked his passion for music.
Petit's musical journey continued when he enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he studied harmony and counterpoint. His exceptional skills soon led him to work on string arrangements for Mink DeVille's Le Chat Bleu album, as well as orchestrate backing parts for various French pop singles in the 1960s, including those of Erick Saint-Laurent, Christine Pilzer, and Monique Thubert.
In 1973, Petit composed the popular song "La leçon de Michette," which gained immense popularity in Italy due to its inclusion in the soundtrack of a well-known Carosello TV spot broadcast from 1973 to 1976.
As a music ghostwriter for director Michel Magne, Petit's work often went uncredited until he was 36 years old. However, his breakthrough came in 1979 when he was commissioned to compose the soundtrack for Alejandro Jodorowsky's film Tusk.
Throughout his career, Petit has released several solo records, including at least four for the Chappell Music Library, as well as his album Chez Jean-Claude Petit, which was released in the early 1970s. He has also collaborated with notable artists such as Pierre Delanoë, Toto Cutugno, Vito Pallavicini, and Jack Arel.
One of his most notable collaborations is the funky music he created for Mireille Mathieu's song "Ciao Bambino, Sorry" in 1976. Additionally, he worked with Jack Arel on the cult TV series The Prisoner, featuring the song "Psychedelic Portrait." His highly acclaimed score for Cyrano de Bergerac remains one of his most well-known works internationally.
In 1995, Petit was nominated for a Victoires de la Musique award in the soundtrack of the year category for his work on L'Etudiante Etranger. He also had the opportunity to conduct and arrange for American Orchestra leader Billy Vaughn in the 1970s, contributing to at least two of Billy's Paramount LPs.
