Taped on May 28 and 29, 1956, these are among the first recordings ever released under the name of
Claude Bolling. A skilled pianist, composer, and arranger,
Bolling laid a strong foundation for this project by bringing Algerian pianist
Martial Solal into the studio with reed players
Guy Lafitte and
Pierre Gossez, trombonist
Bernard Zacharias, guitarist
Victor Apicella, drummer
Christian Garros, and trumpeters
Roger Guerin,
Fred Gerard,
Christian Bellest, and Fernand Zacharias, who also played accordion during a modified "Playera" (Gypsy sequidilla or Castilian folk dance) composed by
Enriqué Granados. Some of this stuff sounds a lot like the friendly
Gerry Mulligan/
Art Farmer cool jazz of the day. Other textures that enrich the menu are sax ballads, spirited bop, and upbeat swing. A strong entry in the
Bolling catalog, this is a tasty portion of well-executed late-'50s continental jazz.