Claude Bolling

OBITUARY from The Guardian - 2020

Claude Bolling, the pianist, composer and bandleader, who has died aged 90, was a leading figure in French jazz from the early 1950s, who worked with many international stars, and celebrated the rich and complex history of jazz with his own particular brand of virtuosic enthusiasm.

Bolling’s keyboard skills brought him widespread acclaim by his mid-teens, and he developed a jazz-piano style audibly influenced by Duke Ellington, a lifelong hero, as well as by Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. He also became an exponent of the piano technique that had originally spawned the “stride” methods of many of his piano models, the vivacious, dancing proto-jazz style of ragtime.

A sophisticated musician, Bolling easily adapted to other musical environments. He successfully arranged a group of the surreally defiant songs of the Left Bank writer and musician Boris Vian (who nicknamed him “Bollington”), and found his way into the French pop world in the 1960s as an arranger for Sacha Distel, Brigitte Bardot and Juliette Gréco, among others, and as the MD for a kitschy but popular trad-jazz-meets-pop vocal quartet, Les Parisiennes. But Bolling never lost sight of his first love.

He recorded in France with leading Ellington soloists, including the saxophonist Paul Gonsalves and the trumpeter Cat Anderson, and worked with the singer Carmen McRae. Though he loved the subtlety and textures of Ellington, Bolling’s own big bands came to display a more direct and riff-driven Count Basie-like aspect, and with his Show Bizz Band and Claude Bolling Big Band, he was in constant demand.

Bolling wrote more than 100 film scores, perhaps his best-known being for Jacques Deray’s gangster film Borsalino (1970). He also explored hybrids of jazz and classical composition, working in 1975 with the classical flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal on Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano, which became a big hit in America and won both platinum and gold discs. Bolling also explored the borders of jazz and classical music with the guitarist Alexandre Lagoya, the violinists Pinchas Zukerman and Patrice Fontanarosa, the cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the harpist Marielle Nordmann.

The son of Geneviève (nee Brannens) and Henri Bolling, Claude was born in Cannes, in the south of France, where his father was working as a hotel manager, but he lived for almost all his life in Paris. A prodigious talent as a small child, at 14 he won a contest organised by Jazz Hot magazine and the Hot Club de France. Within a year he was leading a small ensemble influenced by both early New Orleans jazz and the work of Ellington.

He absorbed the guidance of teachers including the classical pianist Germaine Mounier and jazz pianist Léo Chauliac, and studied harmony and orchestration with Maurice Duruflé and the composer and Jazz Hot editor André Hodeir. Frequenting popular Parisian jazz clubs such as the Club St Germain and the Caveau de la Huchette, Bolling quickly evolved both his own identity and the sensitivity and alertness to work with unfamiliar players.

In 1948, the young pianist accompanied the visiting American blues vocalist Chippie Hill, and by his 21st birthday he had already worked alongside such American swing-trumpet luminaries as Rex Stewart, Roy Eldridge and Buck Clayton, and the imperious saxophonist Don Byas.

Bolling also worked with the swing vibraphone star Lionel Hampton in the mid-50s (he was later to devote a tribute project to Hampton) and by 1955 was leading his own full orchestra. Various editions of this band became the principal vehicle for Bolling’s work over the decades, and he frequently took it on the road.

In 1989 Bolling made only the second full-length recording of the Ellington masterpiece Black, Brown and Beige (the composer’s 1958 release was in a shortened form), the first having been UK bandleader Alan Cohen’s fine 1973 version, transcribed by pianist Brian Priestley.

In 1994, the Bolling band played a conspicuous part in the 50th anniversary of D-day concerts at the Mémorial de Caen in Normandy (Bolling was regularly a first choice in France for high-profile public events). In 1996 his orchestra celebrated its 20th anniversary with tours of the US, Asia and South America, and performed the Ellington suite A Drum Is a Woman at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, with the Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango as narrator.

In 2003 Bolling confirmed that his keyboard powers had not waned with a jubilant celebration of the work of 12 giants of piano jazz, from Scott Joplin’s ragtime to the furiously skilful swing of Oscar Peterson, on the album Tribute to the Piano Greats. Despite its founder’s retirement from performance in 2014 (though he would always refer to the ensemble as “his guys”), the Claude Bolling Big Band continued under the leadership of his former drummer, Vincent Cordelette.

Bolling’s wife, Irène Dervize-Sadyker, a journalist, whom he married in 1959, died in 2017. He is survived by two sons, David and Alexandre.

Claude Jean Harry Bolling, pianist, composer and bandleader, born 10 April 1930; died 29 December 2020

We are SO grateful to The Continental Club and Eric Robert for giving us a place to perform 3 or 4 times each year - to test out our newest pieces and perform for such a fabulous audience filled with folks who love Claude Bolling and our shows!

It takes a lot of time to learn new pieces and schedule rehearsals with our ensemble. We are more ambitious this year than ever before.

Our May HORN SHOW was proof that we are doing the right thing! We had a full crowd of energetic and supportive friends, family and Bolling fans that simply loved our show. We worked very hard on that one.

What I hear from people - even randomly - about their experience at our shows is that they remember having so much fun!!!

Which seems weird at an instrumental classical/jazz show. Doesn’t it?? Except that WE have so much fun!! Cuz the music is crazy zany fun!!

Eric is French/American (if you didn’t know that already). This is why he invited our Bolling crew into his club to perform in the first place. He has been such a supportive friend and host for us.

Since he opened his Continental Club - he has held an annual event that is celebrated as France’s big “independence” day - BASTILLE DAY. (The day the French people stormed the “Bastille” and freed political prisoners.)

We did not plan to perform another Bolling show until December.

But Eric asked. So, of course, we said yes.

We are doing everything SUPER DUPER FRENCH!

Three very strong male singers are joining us to perform solo pieces by Charles Aznavour and Jacques Brel - but mostly - to perform the most gorgeous song from France’s international hit pop/opera - NOTRE DAME DE PARIS.

Plus another Victor Hugo inspired musical piece from LES MISERABLES.

Most of our show is Claude Bolling. Our favorite pieces to play. And the 2 exciting new monster pieces that Brian and I learned for the Horn Show.

Yup - we keep cooking on those crazy fun tough crowd pleasing pieces!

You will hear some Bolling tunes from his 1st Jazz Flute Suite. His 2nd Jazz Flute Suite. The Picnic Suite. And, of course - some Bolling treasures you love and we love.

One night only! As always - blink and you’ll miss it.

It will be a night to remember…………… for SURE.

REHEARSAL SELFIES at Moore Music!

Wait until you see how Sexy we look for our shows…..