Fats Sadi - Sadi's Vibes

The Belgian Fats Sadi (1927-2009), due to his technique and modern approach, was the quintessential European vibraphonist of the 50s. In his beginnings, his style was indebted to Lionel Hampton, but as he assimilated the irresistible and evolving influence of Milt Jackson, his music became a true reflection of himself, generous and overflowing with swing.

Upon his arrival in Paris in 1951, Sadi had a hard time finding gigs as a jazzman. There were too many musicians chasing too few jobs and at first he had to work in all kinds of orchestras. From 1953 he joined forces with Bobby Jaspar and grew musically, playing and recording alongside him as a sideman and as a leader while surrounded by the best musicians on the Parisian scene. In 1954, he put together an eight-piece combo that recorded an album of wellcrafted arrangements firmly rooted in the West Coast sound performed with a precision rarely heard in mainland jazz groups at the time.

As the years passed, Sadi continued to develop his style and conception, establishing himself as an impressive and forceful soloist who was capable of sustaining the mood of the tunes with depth and freshness in both wailers and ballads. In the late 50s and early 60s, he was working and recording in Germany and Belgium and he was chosen to integrate the European All-Stars of 1961. On the bonus track "Hittin' the Road", Sadi blows along with another of his compatriots, the great guitarist René Thomas, who unleashes a memorable solo in a particularly graphic aural definition of swing.

In this retrospective we can hear Sadi playing in very different and exciting settings with a fierce flow of ideas and dedication. All in all, this set is an impressive showcase for an almost forgotten and often underrated vibes player. *Jordi Pujol*

Like trumpeter Harry James, Fats Sadi began his musical career in the company of clowns. The Belgian jazz musician played the xylophone in a touring circus before World War II. After the war, he took up the vibraphone and recorded as a sideman and as a leader. He could play swing and bop, and his earliest recordings in 1946 were with fellow Belgian standout, saxophonist and flutist Bobby Jaspar.

In 1950, Sadi moved to Paris in search of work and began playing at the many jazz clubs there in combos and recording as a sideman with Henri Renaud and Django Reinhardt.

Sadi reunited with Jaspar in May 1953 on a three-song session that is part of a recently released album Fats Sadi: Sadi's Vibes, a Retrospective 1953-1961. The album features Sadi on vibes across a range of small groups.

Sadi's leadership sessions start with the Fats Sardi's Combo, recorded in May 1954. In October of that year and in 1958, he was back with Jaspar before recording with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar in 1959. The album closes out in Brussels in 1961. These are scattered tracks but ones that prominently feature Sadi's firm vibes and cool, tender attack with West Coast jazz overtones. There's a guitar-like quality to his playing, and this album serves as a perfect introduction to a tasty player with plenty of swing and moxie. Fresh Sound features many other Sadi recordings. Have a look. *Marc Myers*

If you're a fan of the vibes, your probable references were the swing era gents of Lionel Hampton or Red Norvo, bebop with Terry Gibbs and Milt Jackson, and that's about it until modern jazz with Bobby Hutcherson. Well, here's a new gent for you to dig, but he's not a "new" guy, but an obscure Belgian stationed in Paris and hitting the vibes with fervermallet with a bunch of impressive locals like Henri Renaud, Maurice Vander, Pierre Michelot, Francy Boland, Jimmy Gourley, Rene Thomas, Genoir Quersin as well as some American ringers like Kenny Clarke, Jymie Merritt, Walter Bishop and Bobby Jaspar.

This single disc contains Sadi in sessions as both leader and sideman swinging from a '53 Jaspar led recording to Sadis' own quartets. With Jaspar, there's a "Nonette" with a hot horn section for "Honky Tonky", a bopping smaller ensemble for "le JAMF" and a lovely "I Only Have Eyes For You". Sadi's sense of swing is palpable, with a tone somewhere between Hampton and Jackson, tearing up "Ridin' High", glowing on "Dear Old Lady" and snapping with "Laguna Leap". The sound quality is excellent, and the vibes, well, vibrate!

As with all reissues from Fresh Sound, there's a great booklet with session listings as well as some great background on this obscure mallet man. This is a real fun one! *George W. Harris*

1 - Strike up the Band

(G. and I.Gershwin)

2 - I Only Have Eyes For You

(Warren, Dubin)

3 - Struttin' With Some Barbecue

(Lili Hardin Armstrong)

4 - Ad Libitum

(Francy Boland)

5 - Laguna Leap

(Edward Laguna)

6 - Karin

(Jose Bartel)

7 - Big Balcony

(Bobby Jaspar)

8 - Sadisme

(Francy Boland)

9 - Sweet Feeling

(Pierre Michelot)

10 - Ridin' High

(Cole Porter)

11 - Thanks A Million

(Johnston, Kahn)

12 - Early Wake

(Fats Sadi)

13 - Honky Tonky

(Bobby Jaspar)

14 - Jeux de Quartes

(Bobby Jaspar)

15 - Doxology (Memory of Dick)

(Bobby Jaspar)

16 - Le JAMF

(Bobby Jaspar)

17 - Ridin' In

(Sadi, Coppieters)

18 - Don't Blame Me

(McHugh-Fields)

19 - Gigi's Pad

(Sadi, Coppieters)

20 - If I Had You

(Shapiro, Campbell, Connelly)

21 - Hegor

(Fats Sadi)

22 - Dear Old Lady

(Fats Sadi)

23 - Hittin' The Road

(Fats Sadi)

#1 to #3: Bobby Jaspar Quintet - Featuring Sadi

from the 10"LP  New Sound of Belgium, Vol.4 (Vogue LD 143)

Bobby Jaspar (tenor sax), Fats Sadi (vibes),; Henri Renaud (piano [#2, #3]), Jimmy Gourley (guitar [#1]), Benoît Quersin (bass), Jean-Louis Viale (drums).

Recorded in Paris, May 22, 1953.

#4 to #11: Fats Sadi's Combo

from the 10" LP  Fats Sadis's Combo (Vogue LD 212)

Roger Guérin (trumpet, tuba), Nat Peck (trombone), Jean Aldegon (bass clarinet), Bobby Jaspar (tenor sax), Fats Sadi (vibes), Maurice Vander (piano), Jean-Marie Ingrand (bass), Jean-Louis Viale (drums), Francy Boland (arranger).

Recorded in Paris, May 8, 1954.

#12 to #14: Bobby Jaspar Nonette

from the 10" LP  Bobby Jaspar - New Jazz, Vol.2 (Swing M.33.338)

Buzz Gardner, Roger Guérin (trumpets); Nat Peck (trombone); Jean Aldegon (alto sax, bass clarinet); Bobby Jaspar (tenor sax); Armand Migiani (baritone sax); Fats Sadi (vibes, arranger); Pierre Michelot (bass); Gerard "Dave" Pochonet (drums).

Recorded in Paris, October 14, 1954.

#15 and #16: Bobby Jaspar Quartet

from the 12" LP  Bobby Jaspar Quartet (Barclay 84063)

Bobby Jaspar (flute), Fats Sadi (vibes), Jymie Merritt (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums).

Recorded in Paris, December 20, 1958.

#17 to #20: Fats Sadi Quartet plus Jimmy Deuchar

from the 7" EP  Sadi's Vibes (Manhattan 66133 C)

Jimmy Deuchar (trumpet), Fats Sadi (vibes), Roland Ronchaud (piano), Maurice Salvat (bass), Stuff Combe (drums).

Recorded in Cologne, May 22, 1959.

#21 and #22: Fats Sadi Quartet

from the 7" EP  Sadi Quartet (Palette EPP 7226)

Fats Sadi (vibes), Roland Ronchaud (piano), Jean Warland (bass), Freddy Rotier (drums).

Recorded in Brussels, 1961.

#23: Fats Sadi Quintet

from the 12" LP  Jack Sels (Best Seller 4C054-97754)

Fats Sadi (vibes), René Thomas (guitar), Francy Boland (piano), Roger Van Haverbecke (bass), Wallace Bishop (drums).

Recorded in Brussels, 1962.