Guy Lafitte
Guy Denis Ferdinand Lafitte (born January 12, 1927 in Saint-Gaudens , France , † June 10, 1998 in Simorre ) was a French jazz musician ( tenor saxophonist , initially clarinetist ). He is one of the best-known representatives of French swing and mainstream jazz of the post-war era in the tradition of Coleman Hawkins . Lafitte also processed influences from Paul Gonsalves , Don Byas and Sonny Rollins .
Live and act
Lafitte taught himself to play the clarinet as a teenager . After studying clarinet, he became a professional musician in 1945, accompanied Michel Warlop in 1947 and ran the Hot Club de Toulouse until 1948 . Lafitte eventually switched to the tenor saxophone. He then played on the European tours of American musicians such as the blues singer Big Bill Broonzy (1950), Mezz Mezzrow (1951), Bill Coleman and Dickie Wells (1952). He played with Coleman again and again later.
In Paris he played with Lionel Hampton , Lucky Thompson , Buck Clayton and Emmett Berry around 1955 . From 1956 he led his own ensembles such as the Paris Jazz Trio , to which Christian Garros and Georges Arvanitas belonged , from 1960 Franco Manzecchi and René Urtreger - in the style of the legendary trio of Lester Young - Buddy Rich - Nat King Cole . With Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, he worked on the music for the film Paris Blues in 1961 . Lafitte recorded albums with his own bands until 1993, but played again in 1973 with Bill Coleman and 1985 with Wild Bill Davis records.
Shortly before his death in 1998, the record Trio Europa was made , on which Lafitte accompanied bassist Pierre Boussaguet : It contains two impressive solos by the saxophonist and the recitation of a short poem, a tribute to his friend Johnny Griffin . After his death, Wynton Marsalis dedicated a composition to him with the simple title Guy Lafitte .
In 1955 he received the first Prix Django Reinhardt .
Works
Selected discography as leader
- 1954 - Blue And Sentimental (Emarcy) with Peanuts Holland , Raymond Fol , Jean-Claude Pelletier , Géo Daly
- 1957 - Les Classiques de Jazz (Columbia) with André Persiany (p), Paul Rovere (b), Teddy Martin (dr)
- 1978 - Corps Et Ame (Black & Blue) with Hank Jones , George Duvivier , JC Heard
- 1983 - Three Men on a Beat (Black & Blue) with Wild Bill Davis , Alvin Queen
- 1983 - Lotus Blossom (Black & Blue) with Wild Bill Davis , Clyde Lucas
- 1990 - The Things We Did Last Summer (Black & Blue) with Jacky Terrasson , Pierre Boussaguet , Al Levitt
Selected discography as a sideman
- Arnett Cobb Quintet: Live! (Black & Blue, 1980)
- Bill Coleman Quintet with Guy Lafitte: Lions Abroad Vol. 3 - A Lion in Paris (Black Lion, 1973) Bill Coleman - Ben Webster - Guy Lafitte (Jazz Colors, 1973)
- Lionel Hampton: Paris Session 1956 (EMI)
- Peanuts Holland Sextet: Jazz In Paris: Peanuts Holland - Buck Clayton - Charlie Singleton (Emarcy, 1954)
- Sammy Price Quintet: Le Jazz En France - Vol. 14 - Boogie Woogie A La Parisienne (Pathe, 1956)
- Lucky Thompson Sextet: Lucky Thompson (Swing, 1956)
- Pierre Boussaguet: Trio Europa (Emarcy, 1998)
Book publications
- Guy Lafitte Comme si c'était le printemps Art Media Editions, 2003; ISBN 2-914002-06-8 (also includes a full discography)
literature
- Wolf Kampmann (Ed.), With the assistance of Ekkehard Jost : Reclams Jazzlexikon . Reclam, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-15-010528-5 .
- Bielefeld Catalog Jazz 2001
- Richard Cook , Brian Morton : The Penguin Guide of Jazz on CD . 6th edition. Penguin, London 2002, ISBN 0-14-051521-6 .
Web links
- Guy Lafitte at Allmusic (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lafitte, Guy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Lafitte, Guy Denis Ferdinand (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French jazz musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 12, 1927 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Saint-Gaudens , France |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 10, 1998 |
| Place of death | Simorre |