Jean-Michel Kajdan is a French guitarist, bassist, and composer born in 1954 in Paris. He performed in the blues, jazz, and rock genres. Inspired by manouche guitarists and artists such as Eric Clapton and Wes Montgomery, he worked as a sideman and solo artist. His solo discography included the studio recordings First Step (1978), Mummy! (1982), Bluescales (1990), and In a New Light (2013). Kajdan collaborated with musicians including Michel Jonasz, Catherine Lara, and Robert Charlebois. In 1998, he appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival as a guest of Larry Carlton, and in 2008, he performed with The Yardbirds during their French tour. He also contributed to the soundtrack of the film Le Grand Bleu. Kajdan began teaching at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Paris in 2013 and was appointed coordinator for jazz and amplified music in 2015. He was named a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2013 and an Officier in 2020.
