Martial Solal: 23/08/27 -12/12/24

French pianist-composer Martial Solal, who has died at the age of 97, was one of the great figures in post-war international jazz who performed with a string of significant American players. Chief among them were Sidney Bechet, Don Byas, Lee Konitz, Johnny Griffin, Dave Liebman and Dave Douglas. Solal became one of the relatively small number of European artists to have the distinction of recording for Blue Note, but during a career spanning the best part of six decades he made over 40 albums as leader for other renowned imprints, such as MPS, Soul Note, Dreyfus and Cam.

Born in Algiers, Algeria during French colonialism and the time of the collaborationist Vichy regime in France, Solal faced discrimination due to his Jewish ancestry in the ‘40s, but a move to post-war Paris in 1950 signaled a change in fortune for the then 23 year-old son of an opera singer who had studied piano, clarinet and saxophone. Work with the legendary Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt as well as the aforesaid Bechet and Byas launched his career in earnest.

Solal then led a quartet and also came into his own as a film composer, penning over 20 scores, the best of which was for Jean-Luc Godard’s groundbreaking ‘New Wave’ feature A Bout De Souffle.It is impossible to imagine the fall and fall of the anti-hero Michel, with his fags, sunglasses and catchphrase ‘C’est dégueulasse’, without Solal’s concise, catchy theme, in which the nonchalant string of notes underlines the story’s cool subversion.   

He was an enviably versatile musician who excelled in any number of settings, be it solo, big band or quartet, but the trio saw him produce some of his finest work. 1970’s Locomotion was recorded with double bassist Henri Texier and drummer Bernard Lubat. 2003’s NY1-Live At The Village Vanguard, with Francois Moutin and Bill Stewart in the corresponding roles, was also a memorable session, highlighting the advanced interplay of the ensemble and Solal’s ability to imaginatively deconstruct standards such as ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’, ‘Body And Soul’ and ‘Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise’.

Solal’s touch was elegantly subtle and boldly emphatic, and his rhythm and harmony spanned jazz history from swing to bop to avant-garde The aforesaid album was also notable because it showcased the fine original writing of Solal’s daughter Claudia, a hugely accomplished vocalist-composer. She keeps alive the family name of one of the greatest jazz musicians France has ever produced.