Michel Graillier

Michel Graillier ( born October 18, 1946 in Lens, France, † February 18, 2003 in Paris) was a French jazz pianist.

Graillier learned classical piano since the age of four and completed an engineering degree in Lille. Upon completion of training, he went to Paris, where he became a member of the trio with Aldo Romano Chameleon and Jean -François Jenny -Clark. He worked with Jean -Luc Ponty and from 1969 with Steve Lacy. With Georges Arvanitas, René Urtreger and Maurice Vander he formed the group piano puzzle; He also was a member of the Open Skye Unit of Jacques Pelzer.

From 1972 to 1974 he was a member of the group Magma ( with Christian Vander ); in addition, he also worked with musicians like Christian Escoudé, Steve Lacy and François Jeanneau. As a pianist of jazz clubs Riverbop he performed with through -trotting American musicians like Philly Joe Jones and Steve Grossman.

Later he was a member of the groups Dreher and Magnetic terrace and appeared in two trio formations with Alby Cullaz and Christian Vander and with Barney Wilen and Jacques Pelzer. In 1977, he met Chet Baker, whom he accompanied ten years regularly. He also worked as a companion of Eric Le Lann, Philip Catherine, Paolo Fresu, Pharoah Sanders, Barney Wilen and others.

In the 1990s, he appeared in a trio with Alby Cullaz and Simon Goubert, a duo with Riccardo Del Fra, or as a soloist. In addition to several albums with Chet Baker, he worked as a sideman for Steve Grossman, Jacques Thollot, Stephen McCraven, Daniel Humair, François Jeanneau and others. He also took on albums as a bandleader and soloist.

Graillier was married to the drummer Micheline Pelzer.

Discography

• Ad Lib with Jean -François Jenny -Clark and Aldo Romano, 1976
• Portrait in Black & White with Alain Jean -Marie, 1995