Louis Sclavis

Louis Sclavis ( born February 2, 1953 in Lyon, France ) is a French clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and bandleader. He is widely regarded as one of the major European instrumentalists, particularly on the bass clarinet.

Life and work

At the age of 9 years, Louis Sclavis took clarinet lessons and played in a local brass band before he graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Lyon. From 1975 to 1988 he joined the Lyon Musicians Collective Association à la Recherche d'un Folklore Imaginaire ( ARFI ) and played with well-known groups of the local scene as Workshop de Lyon, Marvelous band or marmite infernal.

In 1982, Louis Sclavis his first band called " Le Tour de France ," composed of six musicians from all over France. In 1984, his first solo album titled Clarinets. In the same year he began a long and successful collaboration with bassist Bruno Chevillon in a quartet with François Raulin and Christian Ville. This formation is made ​​in the following years a reputation as a popular festival band. At the same time he played with Jacques Di Donato and Armand angster in the trio of Clarinettes.

In 1987 he founded the Louis Sclavis Septet, which also appeared at numerous festivals, such as the Grenoble Jazz Festival. English, German and American musicians improvisation scene belonged from the beginning to Sclavis musical partners. The collaboration with Chris McGregor, Peter Brötzmann, Evan Parker, Conny Bauer, Heinz Becker, John Lindberg, Michiel Braam, Tony Oxley, Jean -Pierre Drouet, Andreas Willers and Gabriele Hasler has been documented on many CD releases. He regularly can be successful Carnet des Routes trio with Henri Texier and Aldo Romano revive its performances have been documented in Africa by Guy Le Querrec for Beihefte the CDs.

Louis Sclavis since the 80 years one of the active focal points of the French jazz scene, together with such renowned artists such as Bruno Chevillon, Marc Ducret, Michel Portal, Yves Robert, Michel Godard, Jean-Louis Dominique Pifarély or Matinier. From art music and folk music forges Sclavis after the ARFI concept of " imaginary folklore " a slightly catchy music that packs sent rhythmically, includes both a lighthearted gaiety and a deep melancholy.

Awards

1988 Louis Sclavis received the Prix Django Reinhardt, an award which is awarded every year to the best French jazz musicians. 1990 saw the British Jazz Award, and in 1996 he was awarded the National Music Prize of the French Ministry of Culture. His album Ellington on the Air was honored in 1993 as Best French Jazz Album with the Django d'Or.

Quotes

" It is idle to say that Louis Sclavis ' music always stands by that she does not copy American models and still retains a lightness that is deeply rooted in the soil in which it arises. Sclavis meets all criteria of the predicate jazz, and yet his music is nothing less than African- American. The clarinetist ... with his band reached a high level of motivated interaction, which is crossed by group relevant solos. No ... solo is just about the solo will take place, but everything has a predetermined place in the whole. "

" Nowhere is the Jazz is more alive than at the edges. From there he renews itself, and in the end it does not matter whether this music at the end is still so hot - auxiliary concept was the word that was, many of his protagonists seem to be a taboo word always. Louis Sclavis is for the jubelndste example. "