Play Bach Volume 1 - Jacques Loussier Trio

Prelude No. 8

Play Bach
The Original Jazz Interpretations Of The Music Of Johann Sebastian Bach
Volume 1
Jacques Loussier Trio
London STEREO PS 287
1964

Jacques Loussier - Piano
Christian Garros - Drums
Pierre Michelot - Bass

From the back cover: Jacques Loussier was born in Angers, France in October 26, 1934. He began to study the piano at the age of ten in addition to pursuing his other normal school studies. When he was 15, he entered the Paris Conservatory of Music where he studied in the master class of Yves Nat. Jacques Loussier's ambition was to become a classical pianist.

After having received a prize winning medal (here. Medaille) at the Conservatory, he resigned. In order to gain his livelihood he began to play piano with all sorts of groups; Gypsy, orchestra Trypique and jazz performing all over the world.

After serving in the army, he became the accompanist to Charles Aznavour; at the same time, being very much attracted by arranging-composing-orchestrating, he joined a record company, an affiliate of London Records – French Decca. In 1959, he made his first record. Loussier wanted to get away from the ordinary and to create something original, so he decided to take the music of Bach and treat it in a modern jazz mood with piano, bass and drums. For this he chose the best musicians in Paris – Pierre Michelot on bass and Christian Garros on drums. This was something he had wanted to do for some long time, and thus was born his first record – Play Bach.

To his great surprise his record was an instant success in France, and this success was soon repeated in Germany. As a result of this success Germany ordered a second volume of Play Bach.

Delighted at being able to pursue his dream, he decided to develop it further, this produced No. 3 and No. 4 (with organ and piano), earning the Grand Prix du Disque Francais.

Loussier was still very interested in composition, and, in continuing his research for new sounds, he began to compose for films. He worked with Anatol Litvak on "Five Miles To Midnight," and with Alain Jessua on "La Vie A L'Envers" which won the Prix Femina in 1964. He also worked with Jacques Robin in "Les Pas Perdus." In this last film he created another first – Michele Morgan singing the film theme. His work was next under demand for TV, and he composed for dramas, ballet, stories, etc. The famous actor Pierre Brasseur asked him to write for the theatre for "The King Of The Universe" by Chekov.

Before the success of Play Bach, he was engaged at the Casa Loma in Montreal by M. Cobeto. The public was very receptive, and the trio (J. Loussier - piano, Pierre Michelot - bass, Christian Garros -drums) enjoyed a great success and was held over for eight more days. He was immediately engaged in London for a series of 13 TV shows, and, because of this, there was a demand for a series of concerts in the United States for the 1964 - 1965 season.

Prelude No. 1
Fugue No. 1
Prelude No. 2
Fugue No. 2
Toccata
Prelude No. 8
Prelude No. 5
Fugue No. 5