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SACHA DISTEL - JAZZ 1955-1962

Born in Paris on January 29, 1933, Alexandre “Sacha” Distel was the nephew of the famous French bandleader Ray Ventura. His father Lionia (Leonid) was a Russian born in Odessa in 1894, and his Jewish mother Andrée Ventura (born in 1902) was of Turkish origin. Sacha found himself in a musical universe, influenced by both his uncle and his mother, a prize-winning Conservatory-educated pianist. In addition to the piano lessons on which his mother insisted, Sacha learned to sing and would imitate Maurice Chevalier. At the age of six he took part in a talent-spotting competition at the Salle Washington and walked off with first prize. When war came, Sacha and thirteen other Jewish children were hidden by Constant Domaigné at the Immaculate Conception school on the rue Crossardière in Laval. He was concealed for two years under the false name of Alexandre Ditel, and returned to his parents in 1944 when Paris was liberated. After some difficult schooling at the Lycée Janson-de-Sailly and the Lycée Claude-Bernard in Paris, Sacha took an interest in jazz thanks to his uncle Ray and played on rehearsals and recordings by Ray’s orchestra the Collégiens. That band’s guitarist at the time was Henri Salvador, and in 1947 during the filming of “Mademoiselle s’amuse” (which took place during the school holidays) it was Henri who taught Sacha the rudiments of the guitar... by giving him his first four lessons on an instrument that he’d bought with his pocket-money.

At a 1948 concert given by Dizzy Gillespie, Sacha had a revelation: jazz. It inspired him to form his own group the Aficionados, and they began flirting with bebop. With Sacha on guitar, Hubert Damisch on saxophone, Jean-Marie Ingrand on bass, Mimi Perrin on piano and Jean-Louis Viale playing drums, the group won a prize for “best modern small-group” at the Coliseum’s Jazz Night; Damisch also took the solo tenor prize and Sacha was best guitarist.

When he graduated from High School, Distel went to New York, where he became a familiar figure on the jazz scene, meeting saxophone legend Stan Getz and the latter’s own regular guitarist, the great Jimmy Raney. On his return to Paris, Sacha played jazz in Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, notably at the Caveau de la Huchette, where he appeared with many renowned figures. He recorded several albums, played with Raymond Le Sénéchal’s Sextet, made an international best-seller with pianist John Lewis entitled “Afternoon In Paris”, and also appeared with Don Rendell, Bobby Jaspar, Lionel Hampton and Jean-Pierre Sasson. In 1956 he was recognised as one of the best guitarists in France.

And then popular music called. He had a tremendous hit singing the song “Scoubidou” and it led him to a new career that made him an international icon in entertainment thanks to his talent and “French charm.” He still remained loyal to his jazz roots, however, and took part in various projects right up until he passed away in 2004.

Olivier Julien
adaptation anglaise par Martin Davies

FRÉMEAUX & ASSOCIÉS 2024

discographie

SACHA DISTEL JAZZ 1955-1962

CD1

 1 Pot luck (Johnny Mendell)

 2 A long way from home (Dave Amram)

 3 Crazy rhythm (Irving Caesar – Joseph Meyer – Roger Wolfe Kahn)

 4 Night and day (Cole Porter)

 5 Olympia orgy (Bill Byers)

 6 On serait des chats (Bill Byers)

 7 Round about midnight (Thelonious Monk)

 8 N° 1 for Sacha (Bill Byers)

 9 Thank’s Bill (Bill Byers)

10 Avec ces yeux-là (Michel Legrand)

11 A piece of pizza (Bill Byers)

12 Blues for Tiny (Bill Byers)

13 Scotch hop (Bill Byers)

14 Everything happens to me (Bill Byers)

15 Competition (Matt Dennis)

16 Sacha Bill et Bobby (Bill)

(1-2) Don Rendell et Bobby Jaspar – Rencontre à Paris : Don Rendell et Bobby Jaspar (saxophones), Dave Amram (cor), Sacha Distel (guitare), Maurice Vander (piano), Guy Pedersen (contrebasse), Mac Kak (Batterie), Christian Chevallier (arrangements). 33 tours 25 cm Swing LDE 14 – 1955.

(3-4) Lionel Hampton – Crazy rhythm : Lionel Hampton (vibraphone), Sacha Distel (guitare), René Urtreger (piano), MacKac (batterie), Guy Pedersen (contrebasse), Maurice Meunier (clarinette et saxophone ténor) William Boucaya (saxophone bariton), Dave Amram (cor), Benny Bailey, Bernard Hullin, Nat Adderley (trompettes). 33 tours 30 cm Emarcy MG-36034 – 1956.

(5-12) Sacha Distel – Jazz d’aujourd’hui : Jean Liesse (trompette), Billy Byers (trombone), Georges Grenu (saxophone ténor), William Boucaya (clarinette basse et baryton), Sacha Distel (guitare), Pierre Michelot (contrebasse), Christian Garros (batterie Byers). 33 tours 25 cm Versailles – STD 2010 – 1956.

(13-16) Bobby Jaspar et Sacha Distel – Jazz hors-série : Bobby Jaspar (saxophone ténor, flûte), René Urtreger (piano), Sacha Distel (guitare), Paul Rovere (contrebasse), Benoit Quersin (contrebasse), Al Levitt (batterie), Billy Byers (trombone). 45 tours EP Versailles 90 M 302 – 1957.

CD2

 1 Somebody loves me (George Gershwin)

 2 Romano’s dilemna (Gérard Gustin)

 3 Y’a qu’ca d’vrai (Gérard Gustin)

 4 « Greek » gone crazy (Gérard Gustin)

 5 For you, for me, for anymore (George Gershwin)

 6 Looking for a boy (George Gershwin)

 7 Autumn nocturne (Joseph Myrow)

 8 Équation (Gérard Gustin)

 9 I cover the waterfront (Johnny Green)

10 Dear old Stockholm (Traditionnel)

11 Afternoon in Paris (John Lewis)

12 All the things you are (Jerome Kern)

13 Bags’ groove (Milt Jackson)

14 Willow weep for me (Ann Ronell)

(1-8) Trio Gérard Gustin : Gérard Gustin (piano), Sacha Distel (guitare), Gilbert Gassin (contrebasse). 33 tours 25 Barclay 84041 – 1957.

(9-14) John Lewis et Sacha Distel – Afternoon In Paris : Barney Wilen (saxophone ténor), John Lewis (piano), Sacha Distel (guitare), Percy Heath (basse), Kenny Clarke (batterie), Pierre Michelot (basse), Connie Kay (batterie). 33 tours 30 cm Versailles MEDX 12005 – 1957.

CD3

 1 Winter holiday (Jean-Pierre Sasson)

 2 Two guitar blues (Jean-Pierre Sasson)

 3 Joan (Jean-Pierre Sasson)

 4 Goofy the cat (Sacha Distel)

 5 Quand tu es partie… (Bruno Coquatrix)

 6 Épi blues (Sacha Distel)

 7 Ouah ! Ouah ! Ouah ! Ouah ! (Maurice Tézé – Sacha Distel)

 8 Oh ! Quelle nuit « Lonesome me » (Don Gibson – Maurice Tézé)

 9 Tania cha cha (Raymond Le Sénéchal)

10 Nuages (Django Reinhardt)

11 Drôle de rêve « The Preacher » (Horace Silver – Maurice Tézé)

12 Scoubidou « Pommes et poires »(Maurice Tézé – Sacha Distel)

13 Paradis (Paul Misraki)

14 Là, Près de la fenêtre « In the wee small hours » (David Mann – Maurice Vidalin – Bob Hillard)

15 Garde ça pour toi « Catch a falling star » (Lee Pockriss – Maurice Vidalin – Paul Vance)

16 Esquinade cha cha (Raymond Le Sénéchal)

17 Quand j’y pense (Paul Misraki – R. Rouzaud)

18 Everything happens to me (Matt Dennis – Tom Adair)

19 Personnalités (Elle a le… Elle a la… Elle a les…) (Harold Logan – Lloyd Price – Maurice Tézé)

20 Allez ! Va ! « My heart is an open book » (H. David – Lee Pockriss – Maurice Tézé)

21 Minor swing (Django Reinhardt)

22 Swing 41 (Django Reinhardt)

23 Nuages (1^ère & 2^e partie) (Django Reinhardt)

24 Swing 39 (Django Reinhardt)

25 Daphné (Django Reinhardt)

26 Marina (Sacha Distel)

27 Blue waltz de l’orgueil (Sacha Distel)

(1-4) Jean-Pierre Sasson plays with Sacha Distel : Jean-Pierre Sasson et Sacha Distel (guitares électriques), Christian Garros (batterie), Benoît Quersin (contrebasse). 45 tours EP 17 cm Columbia – ESDF 1111 – 1956.

(5-20) Danse party chez Sacha Distel avec Raymond Le Sénéchal et son orchestre – Sacha Distel joue pour vous ses succès à la guitare. 33 tours 30 cm Philips – P 77.139 L – 1959.

(21-25) Hommage à Django : Vincent Casino et Ivan Jullien (trompette), Raymond Katarzinsky et Claude Gousset (trombones), Claude Civelli (saxophone alto), Gerard Badini (saxophone ténor, clarinette), Jacques Hendricks (saxophone ténor), Pierre Gossez (baryton), Raymond Le Sénéchal (piano), Sacha Distel (guitare), Bob Quibel (contrebasse), Roger Paraboschi ou Jean-Louis Viale (batterie) direction d’orchestre (Claude Bolling), avec Claude Bolling et son orchestre. 45 tours EP Philips 424.296 PE – 1962.

(26-27) Bande originale du film Les 7 péchés capitaux, L’orgueil de Roger Vadim : Sacha Distel (guitare), Raymond le Sénéchal (orgue), Bernard Hulin (trompette), Pierre Michelot (contrebasse), Kenny Clarke (batterie). 45 tours EP Philips 432.760 BE – 1962.

Merci à Virginie Vincienne de la discothèque de Radio France