Lucky Thompson + Henri Renaud

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

In late February 1956, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson relocated to Paris. Disenchanted with the American recording scene and the executives on the business side who routinely and happily took advantage of artists, Thompson sought refuge among French musicians who admired and respected him. A deeply romantic player with a strong, husky tone reminiscent of Don Byas, Thompson was an experienced sight-reader, having played in Boyd Raeburn's band in 1945 and with George Handy in '46—both of whom featured challenging arrangements. He also led Dinah Washington's first recordings for the Apollo label in Los Angeles in 1945 and recorded with Charlie Parker on the West Coast for Dial in 1947, most notably on Moose the Mooche, Yardbird Suite, Ornithology, A Night in Tunisia and others sides.

In 1952, Thompson was in the Thelonious Monk Sextet and recorded on Miles Davis' Blue 'n' Boogie and Walkin' in 1954. That year, he was on King Pleasure's recordings for Prestige and in Dizzy Gillespie's big band in early 1956. But Thompson couldn't seem to hold a group together, which made him less appealing as a recording session leader, since by then touring with the group you recorded with was essential to drive album sales.

In Paris, things were different. There, Thompson was revered and touring wasn't essential. In 1956, the French jazz scene was bustling with local and American musicians, and a contingent of the French jazz artists were heavily influenced by the sensual, harmonic approach of Quincy Jones and Gigi Gryce, both of whom were inspired by Tadd Dameron.

Gryce and Jones had recorded in Paris in 1953 during a tour to Sweden with Lionel Hampton. Over the course of six sessions between September 26 and October 11, 1953, they recorded 8 sides for the French Vogue label. On piano during many of those sessions was Henri Renaud, who picked up on their new, modern approach thanks to the Vogue recordings released later in the year. [Photo above of Quincy Jones]

When Thompson moved to Paris in 1956, a tentet was formed almost immediately, with Renaud playing piano and arranging. The group recorded 9 tracks in March 1956 for a 10-inch LP called Modern Jazz Group: Tentette and Quartet: Featuring Lucky Thompson (Tenor Saxophone) on the Club Français du Disque label.

The material is still fresh and sensational, and they are easily among my favorite Thompson recordings. They pick up where Gryce, Jones and Henri Renaud (above) left off in 1953, except here Thompson takes most of the solos.

JazzWax tracks: You'll find all nine tracks on Jazz in Paris: Lucky Thompson and the Modern Jazz Group here.

JazzWax clip: Here's Souscription, recorded in Paris on March 5, 1956. The tentet includes Fred Gerard and Roger Guerin (tp); Benny Vasseur (tb); Andre "Teddy" Hameline (as); Jean-Louis Chautemps and Lucky Thompson (ts) (solos); William Boucaya (bar); Henri Renaud (p); Benoit Quersin (b) and Roger Paraboschi (d), with arrangements by Renaud...

Souscription

And here's Thompson in the quartet format with Henri Renaud (p), Benoît Quersin (b) and Christian Garros (d) playing Tight Squeeze...

Used with permission by Marc Myers

Henri Renaud: Paris, 1951

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

Clamart is a French town about five miles southwest of Paris. Each year since 1949, a jazz festival has been held there. In June 1951, soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet was injured in a car accident on his way to the festival and was replaced by Don Byas. Also at the festival was French pianist Henri Renaud with his sextet. [Pictured above: Henri Renaud]

Fortunately for us, the festival's producer had invited the owner of Saturne Records. He dragged the group off to a studio and recorded them after their performance. Renaud's band featured Bobby Jaspar (ts), Sandy Mosse (ts), Jimmy Gourley (g), Pierre Michelot (b) and Pierre Lemarchand (d). Saturne recorded them together and broke them up into small groups for the date.

Of course, Mosse and Gourley were Americans. Gourley came to Paris earlier that year and was gigging at the Boite a Sardines (The Sardine Can), a club near the Arc de Triomphe. Mosse arrived in Paris a few months after Gourley. France didn't have much in the way of American jazz on record yet so Gourley brought over a batch of Roost and Triumph 78-rpms of Jimmy Raney, Al Cohn and others. Mosse toted "Charlie Parker with Strings." [Pictured above, left to right: Henri Renaud, Jimmy Gourley, Clara Mosse, Ny Renaud and Sandy Mosse]

The result of the session was a series of 78s featuring discs with pictures on each side. Also fascinating are the varying jazz styles captured. The 10 songs recorded showcased bebop, cool and the inklings of what would become West Coast jazz.

This stylistic traffic jam makes perfect sense given how many different U.S. musicians had been in Paris after the war and remained there for extended periods. Styles and approaches rubbed off on the French artists and on Jaspar, who was Belgian. But the different approaches also reflected the uncertainty about which style was going to dominate going forward. To play it safe, the French musicians learned them all. [Pictured above: At the Kentucky Club in Paris, 1951. Left to right: Bob Aubert (g), Jean Berdin (d), Bobby Jaspar (ts), Henri Renaud (p) and Bib Monville (b).]

The tracks on the album are Milestone #2 (Miles Davis), Godchild (George Wallington), Tenderly, So What Could Be New? (Tiny Kahn), Blue Moon, If I Had You, Any Old Time, A New Date (Jimmy Gourley), Lady Be Bad (Tiny Kahn) and Too Marvelous for Words. Renaud's piano is solid, with modern chord voicings behind the ensemble. Mosse and Jaspar combined a clear affinity for Lester Young's warm and insistent airiness and Warne Marsh's metallic flintiness. [Pictured above: Sandy Mosse]

Why did American musicians hang out so long in Paris? There wasn't much work in the States, Paris was comparatively inexpensive and its inhabitants' love of art and life was intoxicating and stimulating. But perhaps most important, French and Belgian jazz musicians could swing.

What's beautiful about this session are the musicians' compelling harmonies and lyrical solos. Their agility and dexterity also are admirable. One can only conclude that French jazz artists in the 1950s—like those in Britain—really haven't been given their proper due for their prowess and contribution. The soulful, poetic approach to jazz by musicians in Paris had a certain hipness and grace that rubbed off on Americans who lingered there.

The French jazz experience is clearly worthy of further study. For now, Henri Renaud's Saturne sessions offer us a snapshot of musicians uncertain of jazz's future but eager to hedge their bets.

JazzWax tracks: This album doesn't seem to be in print on CD or available as a download in the U.S. But it is available from ParisJazzCorner.com here (scroll down). Hopefully a label like Fresh Sound will re-issue this material so it's available in the States. It's tremendously important.

JazzWax clips: Here are tracks by various splinter groups featuring Henri Renaud that were recorded for Saturne in June 1951. The last one features Sandy Mosse on tenor sax:

Milestone #2

A New Date

Any Old Time

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Used with permission by Marc Myers