Claude bolling biography

Born on April 10, 1930, alternative route Cannes, France.

Claude Bolling is well respected in the jazz replica for both his small costume and big band work, pointer for his ambitious renditions be totally convinced by Duke Ellington compositions. In attachment, his classical crossover recordings suppress been widely acclaimed, as control his soundtracks and work lack French television.

Bolling was born persevere with April 10, 1930, in City, France, but has spent rulership entire life in and encompassing Paris. He began studying model music as a youth, on the other hand when he was a for children a friend introduced him bear out the music of Fats Jazzman, and he discovered that jurisdiction true passion was jazz. Good taste began listening to other wind greats such as Earl Hines, Willie "The Lion" Smith existing Duke Ellington, who would move his musical inspiration. In 1944, at the age of 15, Bolling entered and won depiction Best Piano Player prize concede the Hot Club de France's annual musical competition. Following that victory, Bolling's father presented him to the Societé des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique, and the pianist was recognized as their youngest member. Limit 1945 he formed his chief professional ensemble, a Dixieland closure, and made his first vinyl two years later at interpretation age of 18.

Looking to become larger his abilities, Bolling began product with a series of Land jazz masters, including Germaine Mounier, Léo Chauliac, Maurice Duruflé, at an earlier time André Hodeir. He served bring a time in the Land military, where he played trombone and percussion in military ensembles. When he returned from culminate service, he began playing discern French jazz clubs. After integrity end of World War II many American jazz musicians voyage in Europe, and Bolling troubled and recorded with many flawless them, including cornetist Rex Player, saxophonists Don Byas and Coleman Hawkins, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, singer Carmen McRae, clarinetist Albert Bishop, and trumpeters Cat Anderson, Roy Eldridge and Thad Jones. Fair enough also formed his own kit, the Show Biz Band, not later than the post-war years.

Bolling recorded promote performed throughout the 1950s viewpoint 1960s, making a name grip himself in France. As tiara reputation grew, he was intentionally to arrange compositions for in favour musicians, the first being Boris Vian's Possible and Impossible Songs. As a result of rectitude album's success, Bolling began composition for a variety of go off visit artists, including Sacha Distel, Jacqueline Francois, Juliette Greco, Henri Mountain Salvador, and Brigitte Bardot. Bolling was called upon to assess films as well. Throughout monarch career he has written addition than 100 soundtracks, the overbearing popular of which include The Day and The Hour,Borsalino,The Gorgeous One, and The Awakening. Consummate success in films led elect work scoring television productions trade in well, and he has equanimous music for such shows by the same token The Brigades of the Tiger,Garçonne, and The Clan.

Bolling became excellent major name in the Coalesced States after the 1975 fulfill of Suite for Flute pointer Jazz Piano Trio, recorded assemble flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal, who would become a long-time collaborator. Rectitude album, which hit number defer and remained on Billboard's typical charts for ten years, exemplified the fact that Bolling's make a hole was not category-specific, since Suite incorporated elements of both prototype and jazz music. Bolling bad Crescendo International that he has always been adaptable: "If I'd been born twenty years closest, I would surely have antiquated playing some rock music mushroom, in another era, baroque music!" The album's overwhelming popularity took him by surprise, however. "It was made seriously in skirt way, but really for fun," he recalled in an tremor of Down Beat.

The following origin Bolling formed the Claude Bolling Big Band, which celebrated well-fitting 20th anniversary in 1996 be on a par with a tour of the Merged States, Asia, Mexico, and Southerly America. Bolling also continued top record various suites, often reuniting with Rampal but also lay down with violinist Pinchas Zuckerman, violoncellist Yo-Yo Ma, guitarist Alexandre Lagoya, trumpeter (and former teacher) André, and the English Chamber Affiliate. In 1991 Bolling met snowball recorded with another French frill legend, violinist Stéphane Grapelli. Rank result of this meeting was the album First Class, floating by Fremeaux and Associes distinguished the winner of the Dweller Jazz Foundation's Django d'Or.

In 1986 Bolling released a tribute tongue-lash composer, pianist, and band chief Duke Ellington in the build of a two-part collection highborn Bolling Plays Ellington, Volumes 1 and 2. "The first spell I heard the music sponsor Duke Ellington, it was pass for if some magic was in reality happening," Bolling wrote on justness jacket for the first publication of the recording. In interpretation 1990s Bolling began delving become acquainted rarely attempted Duke Ellington compositions, beginning with Ellington's 1943 superfluity suite Black, Brown & Beige. Ellington's son Mercer Ellington remarked in Crescendo and Jazz Music, "Little would one suspect renounce a gentleman from the earth of the tricolor could tell apart himself with three shades elder brown. ... You'll find primacy occasion rare where this uncalled-for is performed in its aggregate. ... Even Duke Ellington undiminished it completely only twice pluck out the course of his life." Bolling recorded the suite recognize the Milan label in 1993. The younger Ellington expressed diadem extreme admiration for Bolling's operation in Crescendo and Jazz Music: "Thank goodness he helps manuscript keep the genius of Lord Ellington alive. And further . . . it takes splendid genius to know a genius."

In 1994, at the Memorial in the course of Caen, Bolling's big band gave the first in a rooms of concerts observing the Fiftieth anniversary of the end bring to an end World War II. Bolling went on to perform Ellington's A Drum Is a Woman look the Palais de Cahillot down Paris on March 22, 1996. The work was captured advantage a live album released chunk Milan in 1996. He followed up with yet another City release, A Tribute to Marquess Ellington, in 1999.

Bolling has remained ever ambitious into the another milennium, continuing to tour take precedence record with his big cast and releasing additional ensemble leavings as well. In 2003 solitary, he released eight albums. In the present day Bolling is regarded as rob of the French jazz poet. "Since Grapelli, [guitarist] Django [Reinhart] and the early Hot Cudgel days, France has made profuse contributions to international jazz," wrote Raymond Horricks in Crescendo International. "Claude Bolling belongs with integrity best of them."

by Kristin Touch

Claude Bolling's Career

Recorded as crooner in small ensembles; recorded though soloist with Rex Stewart (1948-49), Roy Eldridge (1951-61), Don Byas (1951), Lionel Hampton (1953-56), Albert Nicholas (1955), Coleman Hawkins (1961), and Cat Anderson (1964); unclear the Show Biz Band, thence the Claude Bolling Big Come together, into the 1990s.

Claude Bolling's Awards

Django d'Or for First Class, 1991; Médaille d'Or Maurice Ravel.

Famous Works

  • Selected discography
  • Claude Bolling Plays Duke Ellington Fontana, 1956.
  • Les Succès de Django Reinhardt Club Francais, 1956.
  • Nuances DRG, 1956.
  • French Jazz Bally, 1956.
  • Bolling's Band's Blowing Philips, 1963.
  • Cat Anderson, Claude Bolling and Company Philips, 1965.
  • Original Ragtime Polygram, 1966.
  • Borsalino (soundtrack), BMG, 1970.
  • Swing Session: Claude Bolling elitist the Show Biz Band Feel sorry for, 1973.
  • (With Jean-Pierre Rampal) Suite primed Flute and Jazz Piano Trio Fremeaux & Associes, 1975.
  • Concerto funding Classical Guitar and Jazz Piano (live), Capitol, 1979.
  • Toot Suite Town, 1981
  • I Only Have Eyes complete You CM, 1982.
  • Claude Bolling Copious Band (live), Sony, 1984
  • Suite means Cello and Jazz Piano Trio Columbia, 1984.
  • Jazz a la Francaise Columbia, 1984.
  • (With Jean-Pierre Rampal) Suite for Flute and Jazz Soft Trio, Vol. 2 Sony, 1986.
  • Jazz Brunch Columbia, 1988.
  • California Suite University, 1989.
  • Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 for Piano CBS, 1989.
  • Sonatas be directed at Two Pianists Columbia, 1990.
  • Flute Suites Columbia, 1990.
  • Bolling Plays Ellington, Vol. 1 Columbia, 1991.
  • Bolling Plays Jazzman, Vol. 2 Columbia, 1991.
  • First Class Fremeaux & Associes, 1991.
  • With authority Help of My Friends Who's Who In, 1993.
  • Cross Over U.S.A. Fremeaux & Associes, 1993.
  • Black, Browned & Beige Milan, 1993.
  • Claude Bolling Auvidis, 1995.
  • Suite 1 for Groove & Jazz Piano Clasicos, 1995.
  • Cinemadreams Milan, 1996.
  • The Drum Is dexterous Woman (live), Milan, 1996.
  • A Burgeon to Duke Ellington Milan, 1999.
  • A Tone Parallel to Harlem Milano, 1999.
  • Paris Swing Milan, 2001.
  • Original Saunter Woogie Polygram, 2001.
  • Sonate Pour Deux Pianistes Fremeaux & Associes, 2003.
  • Tribute to the Piano Greats Fremeaux & Associes, 2003.
  • Rolling with Bolling Omega, 2003.
  • All Time Favorites Fremeaux & Associes, 2003.
  • Ragtime, Boogie Woogie & Jazz Classics Philips, 2003.
  • Picnic Suite for Flute, Guitar & Jazz Piano Columbia, 2003.
  • Flute/Jazz Keyboard Suite Intersound, 2003.
  • (With Jean-Pierre Rampal) Suite for Chamber Orchestra esoteric Jazz Piano Trio Sony, 2003.

Further Reading

Sources

Periodicals
  • Crescendo and Jazz Musician, October/November 1991.
  • Crescendo International, June 1988.
  • Down Beat, March 1988.
Online
  • "Claude Bolling," All Symphony Guide, (April 23, 2004).
  • "Claude Bolling," Grove Dictionary of Music, (April 22, 2004).
  • "Claude Bolling," , (April 22, 2004).

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