Georges Arvanitas

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Georges Arvanitas (born June 13, 1931 in Marseille , † September 25, 2005 in the Paris region ) was a French jazz pianist and Hammond organ player.

biography

Arvanitas was born in Marseille as the son of Greek immigrants from Constantinople. After studying classical piano, he turned to jazz. Arvanitas initially played in various amateur orchestras in the region around Marseille and accompanied American musicians traveling through such as Don Byas , Buck Clayton and James Moody .

In 1952 he did his military service at Versailles , which enabled him to play in Paris clubs. He performed with André Persiani and Jean-Claude Naude in the “Tabou” and eventually became a resident pianist at the “Club Saint-Germain”, then at the “Blue Note”. He accompanied many hot jazz musicians there , such as Mezz Mezzrow , but also Albert Nicholas and Bill Coleman . He was also in demand as a studio musician and accompanied Tino Rossi , Sheila , Claude François , Les Chats Sauvages and Les Chaussettes Noires . From 1964 to 1965 and again in 1966 he settled in New York , where he a. a. worked with Yusef Lateef and Ted Curson . Returning to Paris in 1966, he played in the Caméléon with bassist Jacky Samson and drummer Charles Saudrais . The three musicians played together for the next 28 years. He also accompanied Dizzy Gillespie , Cat Anderson , Chet Baker , Bill Coleman, Don Byas , Coleman Hawkins , Buddy Tate , Dexter Gordon , Bud Freeman , James Moody, Ben Webster , Frank Wright , Roland Kirk , Sonny Stitt , Sonny Criss , Pepper Adams , David Murray , Stuff Smith , Barney Kessel , Elek Bacsik , Raymond Guiot and Anita O'Day and recorded numerous albums under his own name.

As a pianist, Arvanitas is strongly influenced by Bud Powell , but he also processed the harmonic innovations of Bill Evans . His perfect knowledge of the history of «piano jazz» enabled him to find himself in many styles between ragtime and modern jazz and still retain his personal expression. Don Byas counted him in his dream rhythm section .

In 1960 he received the Prix ​​Django Reinhardt .

Selection discography

  • Georges Arvanitas trio in concert ( Futura , 1969)
  • Space ballad (1970)
  • Les classiques du jazz (1970)
  • Ambiance Musique Luis Conti (1971)
  • Brigitte Fontaine (1972)
  • Douce ambiance (1972)
  • Porgy and Bess (1973)
  • Live again (Futura, 1973)
  • Anniversary (1976)
  • I like it cool (1976)
  • Feeling jazzy (1977)
  • Swing Again (1978)
  • The hound of music (1978)
  • Round about midnight (1985)
  • Qu'est-ce qu'on joue? (1986)
  • Quartet (1987)
  • Orgue Hammond (1988)
  • Bird of Paradise (1988)
  • One night for 3 pianos (1989)
  • A alors (1990)
  • Georges Arvanitas plays George Gershwin (1993)
  • Georges Arvanitas plays… Duke Ellington (1993)
  • Live (1993)
  • Rencontre (1997)
  • My Favorite Piano Songs (1997)
  • Little Florence (2000)

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary in The Telegraph
  2. ↑ cit. according to Kunzler, s. 52
personal data
SURNAME Arvanitas, Georges
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH June 13, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH Marseille
DATE OF DEATH September 25, 2005
Place of death Paris region