Jean Omer

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Jean Omer (born September 7, 1912 in Nivelles , † March 30, 1994 in Uccle ) was a Belgian musician ( clarinet , tenor saxophone ) and band leader in the field of swing and dance music .

Jean Omer founded his first ensemble in 1936, from which the first swing-oriented orchestra emerged in the late 1930s, with which he performed in Belgium. At the end of 1940, the first 78 series was made in Brussels and published by Columbia ( Sing High, Sing Low, Sing it Like You Want ). In the next three years more records were made, after which Omer had only a few opportunities to record under his own name. One of his arrangers was Peter Packay ; Benny Carter wrote him some arrangements in the late 1930s ; Hans Berry also played in Omer's band . In May 1941 he recorded the jazz classic Stardust for the German Telefunken , in late summer 1941 and in spring 1942 Omer's orchestra performed in the Delphi Café in Berlin . In Berlin he played a. a. also songs with harmless titles like Gute Reise , Schicksal or Fünf Uhr Tee , which were original compositions by Belgian musicians, but behind which an international swing was hidden. The recordings were published by Brunswick . In the post-war period, Omer was forgotten.

From 1938 he ran the night club or dance hall Bœuf sur la Toit (named after the club of the same name in Paris ) in Brussels, where he played with his orchestra. The Bœuf sur la Toit existed until 1967 - as a revue theater and cabaret - until 1967 and was then continued by Omer as the La Nouvelle Gaity Jazz Club and then Chez Paul au Gaity until 1982. With him, among others, played Jean Robert in the orchestra.

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