Afternoon in Paris

Description

In early December 1956, the Modern Jazz Quartet played every evening at the Club Saint-Germain. John Lewis, musical director of this quartet, loved Paris, where he often passed through. During his previous stay in the City of Light, he had become friends with Sacha Distel, a talented young guitarist notably inspired by Jimmy Raney. It was Sacha's uncle, bandleader Ray Ventura, who first had the idea of releasing on his label Versailles an album bringing together his nephew and the Modern Jazz Quartet. This project, initially abandoned for contractual reasons, finally took the form of a meeting between John Lewis and Sacha Distel. Afternoon in Paris was recorded for the Versailles label on December 4 and 7, 1956, with two different rhythm sections and the young Barney Wilen on tenor saxophone. Bassist Pierre Michelot and drummer Connie Kay covered the first session, with bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke handling the second. This legendary record is a very beautiful testimony to Sacha Distel's jazz period, who delivers a remarkable performance under the inventive guidance of pianist John Lewis.