Jacques Lancelot was born in 1920 in Rouen and studies music from 1933 to 1938 at the Caen Conservatoire under Fernand Blachet's supervision. He was then accepted in August Perier's class at the Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris where he obtained the first prize in 1939. He was then accepted in Fernand Oubradous's chamber music class in 1942.​​​​

From 1941 to 1950 he was part of the Lamoureux orchestra, the Radio-Paris orchestra, the Marius-François Gaillard orchestra, and the Société des Instruments à Vent (wind instrument society) with whom he performed solo under Messrs. Fournet, Mengelberg, von Hoesslin, Van Kempen and Oubradous.​​​

After a short stay with the republican guard's orchestra in 1945-46 he was solo clarinetist in the Vichy Casino from 1947 to 1955.​​​

He is a member of the French Wind quintet with J.P. Ram/pal ; P. Pierlot, G. Crousier and P. Hongne.​​​

His numerous works, concerto of J. Françaix, N.Philiba, J.Rivier, R.Calmel, J.P. Beugniot etc., are played throughout the world and recorded mostly by himself. (For the J. Françaix disc award of 1971)​​​

In 1973 he is awarded with the "Knight's Cross of the Legion of Honor" in the City Hall before Jean Lecanuet, Deputy Mayor of Rouen, and Dr. Rambert, assistant of Fine Arts, among others.​​​

Being an education enthusiast, Jacques Lancelot taught in the Conservatoire of Rouen from 1947 to 1988, and also at the CNSM of Lyon from 1980 to 1984. He wrote many methods and founded the "Lancelot school" recognizable by its very own aesthetic.​​​