Lucien Simoën

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Lucien Simoën ([ simoˈɛn ] * in Carvin , Pas-de-Calais ) is a French swing jazz bassist .

Lucien Simoën had drums and clarinet lessons at the age of ten and was a member of the symphony orchestra in Lille , where he attended the local conservatory. He then switched to the double bass and moved to Paris to study at the conservatory. He made his debut in Paris as a professional musician with the Orlando Orchestra , which played dance music. He then worked with Alix Combelle and the orchestras of Serge Glykson and Emile Stern . The first recordings were made in May 1936 with Django Reinhardt ("I'se a Muggin"), and in 1937 with Bill Coleman and Reinhardt ("I Ain't Got Nobody").

In 1937 he traveled to the United States with Combelle; then he went on a tour of Egypt with the Glyckson Orchestra . After his return he worked with André Ekyan at the Club Le Boeuf sur le Toit ; then he performed with Combelle's first swing orchestra in the “Doina” club. In the mid-1930s he worked on recordings of Bill Coleman ; In 1938/39 he played again in the Glyckson Orchestra. After three years of imprisonment during the German occupation of France, which he had to spend in Germany, he performed with Bob Castella in "Melodys" and worked again with Combelle and Ekyan. On April 3, 1944 he played again in Django Reinhardt's band (“ I Can't Give You Anything but Love ” / “Artillerie Lourde”) and again in May 1946 with Reinhardt, Jack Diéval and Hubert Rostaing (“Swingtime in Springtime "). During this time, Lucien Simoën also played with Rex Stewart (1947/48), in the James Moody Quintet with Don Byas , Nat Peck and Bernard Peiffer (1949).

After Boris Vian , Lucien Simoën is influenced by Jimmy Blanton and Slam Stewart ; Vian counted Simoën alongside Reinhardt's accompanist Emmanuel Soudieux as one of the best bassists of the French post-war period.

Selection discography

  • Jazz In Paris: Bebop (EmArCy)
  • Django Reinhardt: 1944/1946 (Classics)

swell

personal data
SURNAME Simoën, Lucien
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH 20th century
PLACE OF BIRTH Carvin