Sufficient conditions for the projective freeness of Banach algebras

Let R be a unital semi-simple commutative complex Banach algebra, and let M(R) denote its maximal ideal space, equipped with the Gelfand topology. Sufficient topological conditions are given on M(R) for R to be a projective free ring, that is, a ring in which every finitely generated projective R-module is free. Several examples are included, notably the Hardy algebra H^∞(X) of bounded holomorphic functions on a Riemann surface of finite type, and also some algebras of stable transfer functions arising in control theory.