New Call from France (Remastered) The Jef Gilson Nonet feat. Jean Louis Chautemps

• 1 Suite Pour San Remo - Ouverture 04:26
• 2 Suite Pour San Remo - Amadeo 03:26
• 3 Suite Pour San Remo - Adriano 04:11
• 4 Suite Pour San Remo - Arrigo 04:20
• 5 I.A.M 03:13
• 6 120 a La Noire 02:53
• 7 A Free Call 05:24
• 8 Chromatisme 05:16
• Total Runtime 33:09

Info for New Call from France (Remastered)

Although largely overlooked even in his native France, an avid cult has been building around Jef Gilson’s music. The eclectic Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth fame collects pressings, and journalist Gilles Peterson has praised his recordings. Composer, pianist, sound engineer, producer, label owner, Gilson played bop, modal, free, world music. Jean-Luc Ponty and Michel Portal first found their footing working with Gilson. Nathan Davis, Woody Shaw, Philly Joe Jones, David Murray, hung out, recorded and toured with Gilson. Archie Shepp, Randy Weston, Martial Solal, Steve Lacy made albums in Gilson’s studio. This album’s first four pieces comprise the Suite Pour San Remo. The first section, Ouverture, a jazz waltz, with a sophisticated arrangement, moves to Amadeo and a cutting Dolphyesque alto solo. Adriano is a modal piece with masterful soprano and tenor solos. Arrigo is a relaxed blues with a blistering sax riding free on top. I A.M. is and up-tempo blues in 6/8 with impressive horn solos, 120 À La Noire, a comfortable medium tempo piece with a Mingus feel. Free Call opens with a Latin flavor, while Chromatisme harmonically half-steps up and down the scale; tempo changes and free play dominate. Adventurous and eclectic, the album combines bop, model, free, and a bit of Latin jazz in Gelson’s inimitable orchestral style. Up until now most of his albums have been rare collectors’ items. Good to see his music available to a wider public.

Jef Gilson, piano, conductor
Pierre Caron, tenor saxophone
Jean Louis Chautemps, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone
François Jeanneau, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Jean Baptiste Mira, trumpet
Claude Lenissois, bass clarinet
Gilbert Rovère, bass
Gaëtan Dupenher, drums
Bernard Lubat, vibraphone, percussion

Recorded on April 18th and 19th in 1966 at Saba-Tonstudio in Villingen, Schwarzwald
Engineered by Rolf Donner

Digitally remastered

Jef Gilson
(born July 25, 1926 in Guebwiller as Jean-François Quiévreux; † February 5, 2012) was a French pianist, arranger, composer and big band leader. "In the occupation of which he initiated groups" proved Gilson "an excellent grasp of the 'discovery' and the promotion of young talent."

First, as a clarinetist Gilson began with Claude Luter in the band of Boris Vian. Then he switched to the piano. The experience of the big band of Dizzy Gillespie brought him to the conclusion, arranger and big band leader. In his band played, among others Bill Coleman, Bernard Vitet, Jean-Louis Chautemps, François Jeanneau, Michel Portal, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bernard Lubat, Lloyd Miller and Henri Texier. In addition, he was for a time musical director of the vocal sextet Les Double Six. Gilson recordings, on which early compositions with tempo changes (Enfin!, Œil Vision), bitonal layers and chromatic topics are included, first appeared on a mini label. Some of the harmonic function has been overridden in his compositions since 1964, without, being exclusively free jazz oriented (New Call from France, MPS 1966). Commercial success did not materialize, so that in 1968 Gilson temporarily went to Madagascar. In 1971 he returned and concentrated first on ethno jazz and later "total improvisation". In 1973 he founded his label Palm, on which are especially the recordings with his orchestra Europamerica, and with Butch Morris. For this more arranged record, which started reflecting his achievements of free jazz, he was awarded the 1978 Prix Boris Vian. Up to his final days he lived withdrawn in Ardèche.

This album contains no booklet.