Frances Knight has been playing for some years as a jazz musician, educator and tango enthusiast. She initially studied fine art but then began to focus more on jazz piano, studying at Goldsmiths College and later on at the Guildhall School of Music, at the same time working with a variety of different musicians such as Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie Band), Sarah Jane Morris, and on the jazz and improvised side, Maggie Nicolls, Elton Dean and Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine with whom she recorded an album 'The Mind in the Trees' . She also recorded 'the Swimmer' with Hugh Hopper and reknowned vocalist Jan Ponsford. Accompanying singers is a favourite strand of her music and she has recently arranged and played music on an album with singer Maureen Connett and saxophonist Stan Sultzman. A long time resident in Canterbury, she also teaches jazz studies and keyboard skills at Christchurch and other local schools. Frances is currently studying that Argentinian instrument of tango, the bandoneon.
In 1997 the trio released 'Tales From the Front Room' which also features local legend Tony Coe. the latest album Ripple is a coming together of diverse influences, from Lennon and McCartney to an old English Folksong as well as several original compositions which are both challenging and melodic.
Frances Knight is also a published, prizewinning poet.