François Lalonde: Bassist for the Bassalindos, studied with the acclaimed Michel Donato and also studied with Pierre Pépin. He has played in several ensembles, gracing combos from duos to quintets where he mastered diverse styles. One of the original members of the Bassalindos, François is involved in the musical direction of the band and is implicated in the intricacies of the demanding body of material that make up the group's repertoire. An outstanding musician, François, plays both the acoustic bass and electric bass with equal ease and virtuosity. He is known for agilely migrating between the two instruments during the same show, to the delight of fans and the gratification the band. He is regular player with l’Harmonie in Montreal who habitually play for under- privileged children. Prior to his joining the Bassalindos François was the Bassist for Uptown. He also has engagements with the classical orchestra: Symphonia. François Lalonde has played at the Port Hope Jazz Festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Rhythms of the World Festival, the Festival du Monde Arabe and The Lebanorama Festival. He is an exceptional performer as well as a polished studio player- the soul of the band, the bonny Bass in the Bassa- lindos!