Jacques Loussier RIP.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Le Monde just now...."French composer and pianist Jacques Loussier, a great architect of jazz and classical music, died Tuesday evening, March 5, at the age of 84, his wife Elizabeth announced. Unclassifiable artist famous for his jazz adaptations of Johann Sebastian Bach, when he directed the trio Play Bach, founded in 1959 with bassist Pierre Michelot (who died in 2005) and drummer Christian Garros (died in 1988), he led an international career rich of three thousand concerts and more than seven million albums sold.
"Jacques Loussier had the idea of genius at the time to adapt Bach to jazz, and he was successful around the world. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is very swinging and maybe it's our first jazzman, " explained Pascal Anquetil, a Jazz Magazine journalist . Glenn Gould himself will admit that " Play Bach is a good way to play Bach".

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I saw him in Bristol, Colston Hall in the mid 1960s. I was and remain no great fan, but I do remember Pierre Michelot's bass as a standout. Alyn's just paid tribute on R3.

[Serial_Apologist]

Le Monde just now...."French composer and pianist Jacques Loussier, a great architect of jazz and classical music, died Tuesday evening, March 5, at the age of 84, his wife Elizabeth announced. Unclassifiable artist famous for his jazz adaptations of Johann Sebastian Bach, when he directed the trio Play Bach, founded in 1959 with bassist Pierre Michelot (who died in 2005) and drummer Christian Garros (died in 1988), he led an international career rich of three thousand concerts and more than seven million albums sold.
"Jacques Loussier had the idea of genius at the time to adapt Bach to jazz, and he was successful around the world. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is very swinging and maybe it's our first jazzman, " explained Pascal Anquetil, a Jazz Magazine journalist . Glenn Gould himself will admit that " Play Bach is a good way to play Bach".

Au revoir, frère Jacques.

He did other stuff besides the Jazz Sebastian Bach stuff he was probably most famous for.

[cloughie]

Le Monde just now...."French composer and pianist Jacques Loussier, a great architect of jazz and classical music, died Tuesday evening, March 5, at the age of 84, his wife Elizabeth announced. Unclassifiable artist famous for his jazz adaptations of Johann Sebastian Bach, when he directed the trio Play Bach, founded in 1959 with bassist Pierre Michelot (who died in 2005) and drummer Christian Garros (died in 1988), he led an international career rich of three thousand concerts and more than seven million albums sold.
"Jacques Loussier had the idea of genius at the time to adapt Bach to jazz, and he was successful around the world. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is very swinging and maybe it's our first jazzman, " explained Pascal Anquetil, a Jazz Magazine journalist . Glenn Gould himself will admit that " Play Bach is a good way to play Bach".

Jacques Loussier showed both his ability as jazz musician and the flexibility of Bach’s music. RIP Jacques!

[Ian Thumwood]

My Dad had a double LP by Loussier when I was small and I always associate it with Sunday evenings as it only ever seemed to be played then after tea. At the time it seemed staggering to my ears and this was my first introduction to Bach.

When I took up the piano again and wanted to learn how to play jazz, my teacher made me do nothing for months on end apart from playing Bach P&F's in an attempt to improve my site reading. When I returned to listening to Loussier again my impression of his approach to "jazzing the classics" took a nose dive. I cannot recall the source material bit I was staggered to hear that on one tune the arrangement switched from the Bach material with the improvisation being on a 12 bar blues. I got quite suspicious of him after that and then the albums he cut on Telarc of repertoire by other composers just made my respect diminish.

I think he was of his time. The music is often fun to listen to but I don'tthink it is great jazz and I agree with Bluesnik about the prowess of Michelot. I think he deserves a lot of credit for what he did but it is nowhere as near as savvy as what the likes of Kenny Barron or Uri Caine have done with Bach. I have not heard the new Mehldau Bach album but it doesn't appeal. All in all, it is difficult to improve in something which is perfect already but I just feel that Barron and Caine have both pushed what you can do with this material even further.

I am not aware of Louisser working in other formats such as horns. I don't think he can be dismissed but , at the same, he is symptomatic of a time when a crossover of jazz and Bach could pick up a mass audience.

[antongould]

Jacques Loussier showed both his ability as jazz musician and the flexibility of Bach’s music. RIP Jacques!

Well said cloughers

[doversoul1]

Another big name from my youth. I may not have been listening to Bach today without his Play Bach. RIP.

[Padraig]

Another big name from my youth.

Yes ds! Part of the Bach extended family.

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh no....

Michel Legrand, André Previn, Jacques Loussier... the grim reaper has been busy

[BBMmk2]

He certainly has been, recently. RIP

[cloughie]

Oh no....

Michel Legrand, André Previn, Jacques Loussier... the grim reaper has been busy

Hope they have 3 pianos at the pearly gates - what a trio sound that would be!

[Conchis]

Sad. I greatly preferred Loussier's Bach to Bach's Bach.

[cloughie]

Sad. I greatly preferred Loussier's Bach to Bach's Bach.

You trying to state your case as a non-snob.

[Conchis]

You trying to state your case as a non-snob.

I've discussed my feelings for Bach elsewhere on the forum. Although I appreciate his greatness, I don't enjoy his music much and certainly not in the HIP performances we're supposed to listen to nowadays.

I think Loussier took Bach's music, purged it of its sanctimonious holiness and whiff of the cathedral and the provincial 'kerk', and played it as 'fun' jazz-pop music. I'm sure it lacks the depth of 'authentic' Bach performance, but it's just the job for someone like me....:)

[cloughie]

I've discussed by feelings for Bach elsewhere on the forum. Although I appreciate his greatness, I don't enjoy his music much and certainly not in the HIP performances we're supposed to listen to nowadays.

I think Loussier took Bach's music, purged it of its sanctimonious holiness and whiff of the cathedral and the provincial 'kerk', and played it as 'fun' jazz-pop music. I'm sure it lacks the depth of 'authentic' Bach performance, but it's just the job for someone like me....:)

The beauty of Bach’s work is what he did, what it was and the seemingly endless possibilities of what can be and has been done with it and no doubt what will be done with it in the future.