The 1980s. His piano playing, which combines Latin rhythms with an original harmonic richness, brought him to the attention of the jazz world, and he was soon integrated into it. He met Nenê, Elis Regina's drummer, and Elisabeth Kontomanou. With them and double bassist Yves Torchinsky, he formed his first group, Conversation. He plays and/or records with Michel Perez, Rosinha de Valencia, Les Etoiles, Joyce, Daniel Mille, Babick Reinhardt, Didier Lockwood, Christian Escoudé, Sylvain Luc, Etienne Mbappé, André Ceccarelli, Stéphane and Lionel Belmondo, Aldo Romano, Richard Bona, Stéphane Grapelli and Toots Thielemans. In 2005, he performed Richard Galliano's music at the Théâtre de Suresnes for 40 performances. In 2006, settled on the Côte d'Azur, Jean-Yves Candela composed for an ensemble he formed by combining a jazz trio and a string quartet. An album was born from these compositions. In April 2008, he recorded with Phil Palmer (guitar), Tony Levin (bass) and Ian Thomas (drums). In 2009, in Belo Horizonte for a series of concerts. He plays his compositions in trio with : Zeca Assumpçâo and Nenê. In 2014, the “Défis” label released a solo piano album recorded live during a concert in a Paris theater. Jean-Yves Candela was awarded First Prize at the Trophées du Jazz de La Gaude in 2000 (in trio). In 2016 Jean-Marie Salhani edited and released his album “Lucie” with a jazz trio and a string quartet.