Michel Hausser - Mr. Vibes

The vibraphone was still a relative novelty in the jazz scene of the 1950s, particularly in Europe. Its leading proponents in the modern jazz field were Belgian Sadi and French Geo Daly during the first half of the decade. It wouldn’t be until 1955 that another vibes player from France irrupted on the scene: his name, Michel Hausser, and his main influence the art of "Bags" Milt Jackson, his imposing skill, and the role it had in the success of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

It was at the end of 1956 that Michel’s trio had the opportunity to open "Le Chat qui Pêche", a new jazz club that would soon become one of the most popular in Paris. His exciting performances were the talk of the town and paired with the exposure that Hausser received recording with Lucky Thompson and such bandleaders as Christian Chevallier and Quincy Jones, they earned him first place in the 1958 Jazz-Hot poll awards, the first of many in his career.

Although the blues-oriented improvisations and emotional content of Jackson’s approach were evident in Michel’s playing, at the core, his style had a more outgoing flair. In this double CD we can listen to Michel Hausser’s recordings from his prolific Parisian years. Although he has never stopped playing, his name seems to vanish from jazz magazines in 1969, when he returned to his native Alsace, but even so, Michel Hausser will forever remain a referent for jazz vibraphonists everywhere. *Jordi Pujol*

Just like bebop clarinet players, the niche of European vibes players is pretty much an uncharted map. Frenchman Michel Hausser cornered the market back in the bop era of 1958-1960, with this two disc collection showing that he could hold his own against contemporaries Milt Jackson and Teddy Charles.

His sound is confident and relaxed, sometimes with a marimba-like timbre as displayed on his studio and concert recordings from France 1958. The team of Hausser with famed bopper pianist Henri Renard, bassist Ricardo Galeazzi and drummer Dante Agostini sound relaxed and warm on "Isn’t It Romantic" while comparing studio and gig takes of "Rue Dauphine" and "Blues Pour Le Chat" show that the team could kick up the juice in concert format. Ex-pat Bobby Jaspar loans his flute for a crisp "Moaning" and warm "I Remember Clifford" , and is joined by bebop drummer Kenny Clarke and bongo man Humberto Canto for a sleek "Cliff Cliff" and a beatnick'd take of "Mysterioso".

A horn section of Roger Guerin, Luis Fuentes, Dominique Canson and Bob Garcia round out an octet on a 1960 session in Germany hat includes an echoey "These Foolish Things" and MJQ-ish "Up In Hamburg" with some jabbing horns on "Opus De Funk". A year later, a similar conglomerate bops through "Made In Switzerland" while a jam session from 1958 includes boppers Donald Byrd, Zoot Sims, Doug Watkins, Art Taylor and Bobby Jaspar for a sizzling take of "Wee Dot" that has Taylor driving on all 8 cylinders. Sublime chimes. *George W. Harris*

*CD 1*

1 - Blues Pour Le chat

(Michel Hausser)

2 - Isn't It Romantic

(Rodgers, Hart)

3 - Rue Dauphine

(Michel Hausser)

4 - Everything Happens To Me

(Dennis, Adair)

5 - Now’s The Time

(Charlie Parker)

6 - H.E.C Blues

(Michel Hausser)

7 - Rue Dauphine

(Michel Hausser)

8 - Michel Hausser introduces the musicians

9 - These Foolish Things

(Strachey, Link, Marvell)

10 - Blues Pour Le Chat

(Michel Hausser)

11 - Moanin'

(Bobby Timmons)

12 - I Remember Clifford

(Benny Golson)

13 - H.E.C Blues

(Michel Hausser)

14 - Monsieur De...

(René Urtreger)

15 - It's The Talk Of Town

(Livingston, Symes, Neiburg)

16 - Made In Switzerland

(Michel Hausser)

17 - Willow Weep For Me

(Ann Ronell)

18 - Who, You?

(Michel Hausser)

19 - 4 R

(Michel Hausser)

20 - Taking A Chance On Love

(Vernon Duke)

*CD 2*

1 - Cliff Cliff

(Jacques Hess)

2 - Phenil Isopropil Amine

(Bobby Jaspar)

3 - Mysterioso

(Thelonious Monk)

4 - Lullaby Of The Leaves

(Petkere, Young)

5 - Waiting For Irene

(Bobby Jaspar)

6 - Chasing The Bird

(Charlie Parker)

7 - Speak Low

(Kurt Weill)

8 - Up In Hamburg

(Michel Hausser)

9 - Opus De Funk

(Horace Silver)

10 - These Foolish Things

(Strachey, Link, Marvell)

11 - Tadd’s Delight

(Tadd Dameron)

12 - Jive At Five

(Harry Edison)

13 - Blues A San Pauli

(Michel Hausser)

14 - Darn That Dream

(Van Heusen, DeLange)

15 - Tune Up

(Miles Davis)

16 - These Foolish Things

(Strachey, Link, Marvell)

17 - Made In Switzerland

(Michel Hausser)

18 - Wee Dot

(J.J. Johnson)

*CD 1*

#1 to #4:

from the 7" EP Au Chat qui Pêche Vol. 1 (Columbia ESDF 1224)

Micher Hausser (vibes), Henri Renaud (piano), Ricardo Galeazzi (bass), Dante Agostini (drums).

Recorded in Paris, April 23, 1958.

 #5 to #10:

Micher Hausser (vibes), Henri Renaud (piano), Ricardo Galeazzi (bass), Dante Agostini (drums).

Recorded live at Festival de Jazz de Cannes, July 11, 1958.

#11 to #16:

from the album Vibes + Flute (Columbia FPX 173)

Bobby Jaspar (flute #11 to #14), Michel Hausser (vibes), René Urtreger (piano #11 to #14), Paul Rovère (bass), Daniel Humair (drums).

Recorded in Paris, December 16, 1958 [#11 to #14] and February 9, 1959 [#15 and #16].

#17 to #20:

from the 7" EP Michel Hausser Quartet Vol.2 (Columbia ESDF 1254)

Michel Hausser (vibes), René Urtreger (piano), Paul Rovère (bass), Daniel Humair (drums).

Recorded in Paris, November 9 and 10, 1959.

*CD 2*

#1 to #7:

from the album Bobby Jaspar Quartet Featuring Michel Hausser (Barclay 84.063)

Bobby Jaspar (flute), Michel Hausser (vibes, xylophone), Paul Rovère (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums), Humberto Canto (bongos #1, #3, #5 and #6).

Recorded in Paris, December 19, 1958.

#8 to #15:

from the album Michel Hausser Octet -Up in Hamburg (Columbia FPX 189)

Roger Guérin (trumpet), Luis Fuentes (trombone), Dominique Chanson (flute, alto sax), Bob Garcia (tenor sax), Michel Hausser (vibes, piano #13), René Urtreger (piano out on #13), Michel Gaudry (bass), Daniel Humair (drums).

Recorded in Hamburg, March 1960.

#16 and # 17: Michel Hausser All Stars

Michel Hausser (vibes), Roger Guérin (trumpet #17), Bob Garcia (tenor sax #17), Georges Arvanitas (piano), Michel Gaudry (bass), Charles Bellonzi (drums).

Recorded live at Festival de Jazz d’Antibes Juan-les-Pins, July 18, 1961.

#18: Jam Session with the Donald Byrd Quintet

Donald Byrd (trumpet); Bobby Jaspar, Zoot Sims (tenor saxes); Michel Hausser (vibes); Walter Davis (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Recorded live at Festival de Jazz de Cannes, July, 11, 1958.

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.

The Third Herdmen Blow In Paris

These recording sessions respond to the stir generated in Paris among French fans and record producers by the visits of Woody Herman orchestra during their European tour in 1954. Some of the best band's soloists were engaged to record for the French label Vogue.

The Herdsmen recorded two 10'' albums, with personnel changing from one session to the other. The sessions included trumpeter Dick Collins, bass-trumpeter Cy Touff, tenorists Bill Perkins, Dick Hafer, and Jerry Coker, bassist Red Kelly, drummer Chuck Flores, and pianist Ralph Burns — the featured performer for the band’s European tour. Joining them were leading local jazzmen, such as pianist Henri Renaud, guitarist Jimmy Gourley, bass player Jean-Marie Ingrand and drummer Jean-Louis Viale. The sessions were all improvised, without too much time for preparation, but the recordings captured the freshness of the soloists, who all had a balling time. *Jordi Pujol*.

The Herdsmen

Play Paris

Early in 1954, Woody Herman took his Third Herd to Europe. This was the first time Herman had ever played overseas and it was the first time most of Europe had heard the Third Herd. Up until recently, its only records were on Woody’s own small label, Mars, which was not distributed throughout the continent. 

Dick Collins, the young Berkeley trumpet player who was, and is, one of the stars of the Third Herd was an old friend to Paris. He had gone there after World War II to study on the GI Bill under Darius Milhaud, the French composer with whom Dave Brubeck and other modern jazz men have studied at Mills College in Oakland, California. While Collins was in Paris in 1948 and ’49, he met Charles Delaunay, the French critic, author and recording executive and made several sides for him. So it was only natural that on Collins’ return, Delaunay would renew the acquaintance and take the opportunity to make further records.

For the first date, Delaunay assembled Collins, Cy Touff, Bill Perkins, Dick Hafer and Red Kelly from the Herman band and two French musicians, Henri Renaud and Jean-Louis Viale. Perkins describes the date this way: "Delaunay picked us up at the hotel about an hour after we flew in from Germany and rushed us to a real relaxed little upstairs studio and we went to work with nothing more than a few penciled lead sheets — no harmony parts were written as I remember. Although the French musicians did not speak English and viceversa, I remember that it struck me at the time how well we understood each other when it came to the music part of it. They put Cy up on a box to get the bell of his horn even with the mike". 

The second session was made just before the men left for home some weeks later. Coker was commissioned to write an original ("Embarkation") and Perkins recalls Jerry working hard on it backstage at the Vienna concert. Coker, Touff, drummer Chuck Flores and pianist Ralph Burns, who was on the European tour as a featured performer with the band, flew back to Paris to make the date and were joined by Jimmy Gourley, one of the leading French guitarists, and bassist Jean-Marie Ingrand. Burns, who is among the best known modern jazz arrangers and writers and who has done most of the Herman book including "Summer Sequence", is featured on piano. Burns wrote "Wetback on the Left Bank" for Flores, whose nickname is "Wetback". *Liner notes*

Bassist Red Kelly remembers the Woody Herman Third Herd’s triumphal tour of Europe in 1954: "We weren’t used to that kind of adulation. We were treated like rock stars are today. They tried to get the buttons off of our coats and all that stuff". The fans were not alone in their enthusiasm. The French critic and impresario Charles Delaunay herded several of Herman’s sidemen into a recording studio for two small-group sessions that illuminated the talents of saxophonist Bill Perkins, bass trumpeter Cy Toouff, trumpeter Dick Collins, pianist Ralph Burns, and other solist from the band, along with promiment French musicians. These Paris sessions give us stimulating extracurricular music by some of the talented young musicians Herman assembled during one of his greatest periods. *concord.com*

Side 1

01 - The Gypsy

(Billy Reid)

02 - Wetback On The Left Bank

(Ralph Burns)

03 - Embarkation

(Jerry Coker)

04 - Thanks For You

(Tim Whitton)

Side 2

05 - So What Could Be New?

(Tiny Kahn)

06 - Just 40 Bars

(Henri Renaud)

07 - Palm Cafe

(Henri Renaud)

08 - Pot Luck

(Johnny Mandel)

 #5, #6, #7, #8:

Dick Collins (trumpet); Cy Touff (bass trumpet); Bill Perkins, Dick Hafer (tenor saxes); Henri Renaud (piano); Red Kelly (bass); Jean-Louis Viale (drums).

Recorded in Paris, April, 23, 1954.

#1, #2, #3, #4:

Cy Touff (bass trumpet), Jerry Coker (tenor sax), Ralph Burns (piano), Jimmy Gourley (guitar), Jean-Marie Ingrand (bass), Chuck Flores (drums).

Recorded in Paris, May 5, 1954.

#1, #4, #5, #8 from The Third Herdmen Blow In Paris, Vol. 1

#2, #3, #6, #7 from The Third Herdmen Blow In Paris, Vol. 2