Jean-Luc Ponty (born September 29, 1942) is a virtuoso French
violinist and
jazz composer. Born in Avranches, France, he was trained as a professional
classical violinist at the Paris Conservatory. His attraction to jazz was propelled by
Miles Davis's and
John Coltrane's music. He has worked with
Stéphane Grappelli, the
Mahavishnu Orchestra, and
Frank Zappa, and has appeared on over seventy recordings.