Christian Escoudé

Christian Escoudé (born the September 23rd 1947 with Angouleme) is a Guitariste and Compositeur of Jazz French.

Biography

A father gypsy and guitarist, a Charente-native mother , Christian Escoudé is born in 1947. His/her father makes the balls haversack of the area. He dedicates a passion without terminals with Django Reinhardt which he transmits to his son that he initiates with the Guitare at the 10 years age. At 15 years, Christian embraces the career of musician.

Christian Escoudé belongs to this small family of guitarists of jazz resulting from the manouche medium: for this reason, it forged a style of guitar in the guns of the jazz bop, largely tinted of Tzigane influence. It shows a great melody direction, where inflections “gipsies point”, like the Vibrato and the Portamento, of much of heat in phrased and a beautiful generosity of sound. It is announced by its very personal way to use the arpeggios on the systems semitone/tone. With the Jazz In, where it occurs in 1972 “after Hours”, it meets Eddy Louis, Bernard Lubat and Aldo Romano.

Later, it joined Didier Levallet (Swing String System), Michel Portal Unit.

In 1976, the Academy of the jazz decrees to him its price Django Reinhardt, while new a quartet (with Michel Graillier, Aldo Romano, and Alby Cullaz; then Jean-François Jenny-Clark takes turning. One as well hears it (in freelance ) in Michel Portal as with Slide Hampton, Martial Solal or Jean-Claude Fohrenbach.

In 1978, the Festival of Nice east for him the occasion to record with the four-bit byte of John Lewis and to play with Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Philly Joe Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Konitz, Shelly Basket, Elvin Jones…

As from 1978, it takes part almost each year in the Festival of Samois, organized in homage to Django Reinhardt. In 1979, it is with the Festival of Dakar, supplementing the trio Rene Urtreger - Pierre Michelot - Daniel Humair.

During the summer 1980 John McLaughlin invites it to a round in duet which leads it to the the United States, Brésil and Japan.

In 1981, it enters the full orchestra of Martial Solal. The following year, it occurs in a quartet at the sides of Shelly Manne. Of return in France, it creates of them one with Olivier Hutman (keyboards), Nicolas Fitzman (B, bg) and Jean My Truong (percussion) - these two last will be replaced by Jean-Marc Jafet and Tony Rabeson.

In 1983, a duet with Didier Lockwood begins which leads in 1984 to a trio with Philip Catherine.

In 1985, he plays with Capon and James Carter then form the “Trio Gipsy” with Boulou Ferré and Babik Reinhardt.

In 1987, he plays in duet with Michel Graillier, John Thomas, with the “Trio Gipsy”, then still with Capon-Casing.

At the beginning of 1988 is born a new four-bit byte with Jean-Michel Pilc, François Moutin and Louis Moutin. The following year, it forms a byte with four guitars (Paul Challain Ferret, Jimmy Gourley, Frederic Sylvestre), accordion (Marcel Azzola), violoncello (Vincent Courtois), low (Alby Cullaz) and battery (Billy Hart).

New York, 1990: he plays the Vanguard Village with Pierre Michelot, Hank Jones and beater Kenny Washington.

In 1991, surrounded by a string orchestra, it records eleven compositions of Django Reinhardt. In 1992, its " Gipsy Trio" (Challain Tag, Sylvestre) increases itself by Babik Reinhardt or Biréli Lagrène, and the following year, in Los Angeles, it records surrounded by Lou Levy, Bob Magnusson and Billy Higgins.

Under the EmArcy label, the Parisian offices of Liveliness propose to him, 1989 to 1994,7 albums: Gipsy Waltz / 1989 / Marcel Azzola / Live At the Village Vanguard / Plays Django Reinhardt / In L.A. - Standards Vol.1 / Cookin' in Hell' S Kitchen

In 1996 At Duke leaves Lombards (with Emmanuel Bex to the Orgue Hammond, eten 1998: has continuation for Gypsies .

In 1998, it creates and records " With Continuation for Gypsies" , work of Jazz rock'n'roll, fusion dedicated to the memory of the children gipsies died in the concentration camps.

In 2003, the year of the fiftieth birthday of died of Django Reinhardt, it creates a Big band (17 musicians) with which it explores the musical heritage of Django while bringing there its style and its own harmonic and rhythmic ideas.

In 2004 it constitutes “the new trio gipsy”, meeting of 3 guitarists having the open-minded necessary to a musical expression of topicality, without disavowing the roots from which they result (currently with Martin Taylor and David Reinhardt).

In March 2005 left, at Nocturne, " My ya". Ya with its new sextet (Progressive Sextet) composed of Marcel Azzola, Jean-Baptiste Bush-hammered, Sylvain Guillaume, Jean-Marc Jafet and Yoann Serra.

Since 2006, it with engaged in its Four-bit byte the exceptionally gifted threshing-machine: Anne Paceo.

Christian Escoudé composed or took part in nearly 40 albums.

External bonds

the official site of Christian Escoudé
Biography and discography on www.djangostation.com
Interview of Escoudé in Jazz Magazine on its relation with Django

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