Jean-Michel Defaye (born 1932) is a French pianist, composer, arranger and conductor known for his collaboration with French poet and singer-songwriter Léo Ferré.He was born in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne near Paris, on 18 September 1932. Aged ten he entered the Paris Conservatoire and completed his musical training in theory, piano and composition, taking in Nadia Boulanger's accompaniment class.