Personnel:
Guy Lafitte (ts), Geo Daly (vib), Peanuts Holland (tp),
Bernard Zacharias (tb), Raymond Fol, André Persiany, Jean-Claude Pelletier (p),
Jean Bonal, Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Alix Bret, Buddy Banks, Jacques 'Popoff'
Medvedko, Paul Rovère (b), Bernard Planchenault, Jacques David, Teddy Martin,
Christian Garros (d)
Reference: FSRCD
962
Many critics in the Fifties considered French jazz to be on
a par with its American counterpart: if the United States was the cradle of the
genre, they reasoned, France was fast becoming the keeper of its best
traditions. Even stateside most agreed, seeing the many unique talents that
kept coming from France, among them the brilliant young tenor saxophonist Guy
Lafitte (1927-1998). In 1954 he received the best album and best tenor
saxophonist awards in a poll organized by the Jazz Hot magazine, but he was
also crowned best French soloist by the Academie du Jazz with its prestigious
prix Django Reinhardt.
These small group sessions led by Lafitte (1954-1956) shine
with the presence of Geo Daly, the legendary vibraphonist who introduced the
instrument to Europe. Daly was at ease in this small group context, and his
alliance with Lafitte generates an unpretentious and relaxed mood—it’s jazz
with a swinging beat and warm improvisatory interplay.
The music in these sides is a testament to the progress and
maturity Guy Lafitte had acquired since his early years: many had compared him
to other great tenor saxophonists, but it is obvious here that he had managed
to escape the influence of Hawkins, Herschel Evans, Chu Berry, Lester Young, or
anyone else for that matter. By the time he recorded these sessions, his
language and ideas were fully his own.Ç
Tracklisting:
01. Blue and Sentimental (Basie-David-Livingston) 6:24
02. She's Funny That Way (Whiting-Moret) 3:05
03. Stardust (Carmichael-Parish) 3:20
04. Where or When (Rodgers-Hart) 4:28
05. Krum Elbow Blues (Ellington-Hodges) 4:53
06. If I Had You (Schapiro-Campbell-Connelly) 2:43
07. I've Got the World on a String (Arlen-Koehler) 4:14
08. Get Happy (Arlen-Koehler) 2:50
09. I Cover the Waterfront (Green-Heyman) 3:51
10. I Got Rhythm (G. & I. Gershwin) 3:27
11. Melodie au Crepuscule (Django Reinhardt) 4:20
12. Sweethearts on Parade (Lombardo-Newman) 3:58
13. Topsy (Battle-Durham) 3:17
14. If I Could Be with You (James P. Johnson) 3:12
15. Jubilee (Louis Armstrong) 2:07
16. Chase à “La Baute” (Guy Lafitte) 5:20
17. Dans un vieux livre (Guy Lafitte) 3:03
18. Flying Back (Jean-Pierre Sasson) 2:41
19. What a Funny Moon (GeoDaly) 3:05
20. Partnership Boys (Jean-Claude Pelletier) 2:20
Sources:
Tracks #1-8, from
the 10” LP “Blue and Sentimental” (Le Club Français du Disque 21)
Tracks #9-13,
from the 10” LP “Guy Lafitte et son Orchestre”
(Ducretet-Thomson 460 V 019)
Tracks #14-16,
from the 7” EP “Guy Lafitte et son Quartette” (Columbia ESDF 1043)
Tracks #17-20,
from the 7” EP “Columbia All Stars” (Columbia ESDF 1125)
GUY LAFITTE and His
Quartette
Personnel on #1-5:
Guy Lafitte, tenor sax; Geo Daly, vibes; Raymond Fol, piano; Alix Bret, bass;
Bernard Planchenault, drums. Additional personnel: Jean Bonal, guitar, on #4;
Peanuts Holland, trumpet, on #5; and Bernard Zacharias, trombone, on #5.
Recorded in Paris,
May 1954
Personnel on #6-13:
Guy Lafitte, tenor sax; Geo Daly, vibes; André Persiany, piano; Buddy Banks,
bass; Jacques David, drums.
Recorded in Paris,
June 1, 1954
Personnel on #14-16:
Guy Lafitte, tenor sax; Geo Daly, vibes; André Persiany, piano; Jacques
“Popoff” Medvedko, bass; Teddy Martin, drums.
Recorded in Paris,
March 31, 1955
GUY LAFITTE and His
Quintette (Columbia All Stars)
Personnel on #17-20:
Guy Lafitte, tenor sax; Geo Daly, vibes; Jean-Pierre Sasson, guitar;
Jean-Claude Pelletier, piano; Paul Rovère, bass; Christian Garros, drums.
Recorded in Paris,
June 18, 1956
Liner notes:
Jordi Pujol
Produced for CD
release by Jordi Pujol
Hi Fi · 24-Bit
Digitally Remastered