Caros audiophiles, this week I was invited to a jazz festival concert performed by the French pianist and composer Claude Bolling.
I had never heard of him but I was assured that he is legendary. Indeed, if you check his internet profile as I did, you will discover that he has composed music for around 100 films, and that he has collaborated with many famous jazz artists such as Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Stephane Grappelli and Oscar Peterson.
His most famous and enduring composition is the 1975 Suite for Flute and Jazz Trio. Here he marries classical flute with traditional jazz rhythms, "a mix of baroque elegance and modern swing", consisting of seven movements: Baroque and Blue, Sentimentale, Javanaise, Fugace, Irlandaise, Versatile, Veloce.
This piece proved so popular in America that it remained the #1 sales jazz album for two full years.
So I was curious to discover this 'new artist' for myself. Claude Bolling, now 81 years old, speaks terrible English but he made an effort to communicate, which is always endearing, and it became evident from his body language and rapport with his musicians that he has a mischievous childlike sense of humour and Gallic charm.
I was not disappointed. In the first half of the concert he performed his famous Suite, and in the second half he played a mix of jazz 'standards' from Gershwin, Grappelli, Louis Armstrong, New Orleans. Of course he is a most accomplished pianist. OK, his style is, to my contemporary ears, light and pleasant, perhaps nothing more. But I am interested to know if you, my audiophiles, are familiar with him and what you think.
I present here two of the seven movements:
A proxima.
PO
