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Jacques Loussier (born 26 October 1934 in Angers
Angers

Angers is a city in the Maine-et-Loire Departments of France in northwestern France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, northwestern France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
) is a noted pianist
Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an musical ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers....
 and composer
Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, usually in the medium of musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of music....
. He is well known for his jazz interpretations of many of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and organ whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque music period and brought it to its ultimate maturity....
's works, such as the Goldberg variations
Goldberg Variations

The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, are a set of an aria and 30 Variation for harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach. First published in 1741 as the fourth in a series Bach called Bach compositions printed during the composer's lifetime, "keyboard practice", the work is considered to be one of the most important examples of Variation for...
. His most famous recording is Air on the G String
Air on the G String

The "Air on the G String" is an adaptation by August Wilhelmj of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air ". The air is usually played slowly and freely, and features an intertwining harmony and melody....
 that was used for the Hamlet cigar
Hamlet (cigar)

Hamlet are a well known brand of cigar produced by Japan Tobacco. They are available in several varieties, miniatures and also a regular length....
 advertisements in the UK for over 35 years. Oddly enough, another jazz version of Air on the G String performed by The Swingle Singers
The Swingle Singers

The Swingle Singers are a a cappella formed in 1962 in Paris, France with Ward Swingle, Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont and Jean Cussac. Christiane Legrand, the sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the lead soprano in the group....
 along with the Modern Jazz Quartet
Modern Jazz Quartet

The Modern Jazz Quartet was established in 1952 by Milt Jackson , John Lewis , Percy Heath , and Kenny Clarke . Connie Kay replaced Clarke in 1955....
 was a hit as well.






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Encyclopedia


Jacques Loussier (born 26 October 1934 in Angers
Angers

Angers is a city in the Maine-et-Loire Departments of France in northwestern France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, northwestern France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
) is a noted pianist
Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an musical ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers....
 and composer
Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, usually in the medium of musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of music....
. He is well known for his jazz interpretations of many of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and organ whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque music period and brought it to its ultimate maturity....
's works, such as the Goldberg variations
Goldberg Variations

The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, are a set of an aria and 30 Variation for harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach. First published in 1741 as the fourth in a series Bach called Bach compositions printed during the composer's lifetime, "keyboard practice", the work is considered to be one of the most important examples of Variation for...
. His most famous recording is Air on the G String
Air on the G String

The "Air on the G String" is an adaptation by August Wilhelmj of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air ". The air is usually played slowly and freely, and features an intertwining harmony and melody....
 that was used for the Hamlet cigar
Hamlet (cigar)

Hamlet are a well known brand of cigar produced by Japan Tobacco. They are available in several varieties, miniatures and also a regular length....
 advertisements in the UK for over 35 years. Oddly enough, another jazz version of Air on the G String performed by The Swingle Singers
The Swingle Singers

The Swingle Singers are a a cappella formed in 1962 in Paris, France with Ward Swingle, Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont and Jean Cussac. Christiane Legrand, the sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the lead soprano in the group....
 along with the Modern Jazz Quartet
Modern Jazz Quartet

The Modern Jazz Quartet was established in 1952 by Milt Jackson , John Lewis , Percy Heath , and Kenny Clarke . Connie Kay replaced Clarke in 1955....
 was a hit as well. He also composed the theme tune for the popular 1960s French TV series "Thierry La Fronde".

Early life and education

His talent already manifested his gift at age ten, and he began composing music while studying at the Conservatoire National de Musique
Conservatoire de Paris

The Conservatoire de Paris is a music college founded in 1795, based in Paris, France. It offers instruction in music and drama of the highest standards, drawing on the traditions of the "French School."...
 in Paris
Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
 under Professor Yves Nat
Yves Nat

Yves Nat was a French pianist and composer.Yves Nat showed an early aptitude for both piano and composition. By the age of seven he was allowed to improvise each Sunday at the organ of B?ziers' cathedral during mass....
, from age sixteen.

After 6 years study, he left to travel the world, where he experienced sounds of the Middle East, Latin America and Cuba, where he spent one year.

Trio

Loussier formed the Play Bach Trio
Play Bach Trio

The Play Bach Trio , was a Third Stream jazz piano trio that became known for their Jazz interpretations of European classical music.The Play Bach Trio was formed in 1959 by pianist Jacques Loussier, bass player Pierre Michelot, and percussionist Christian Garros....
 in 1959, with himself as pianist, Pierre Michelot
Pierre Michelot

Pierre Michelot was a France bebop and hard bop double bass player.Born in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Paris, Michelot studied piano from 1936 until 1938, but switched to playing bass at the age of sixteen....
 as bassist and Christian Garros as percussionist. The group performed interpretations of Bach's works, and had many live appearances, tours and concerts, as well as a number of recordings. In total, the trio sold over six million albums and became very rich indeed.

Break up

In 1978 the trio broke up, and Loussier set up his own recording studio in Provence
Provence

Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative regions of France of Provence-Alpes-C?te d'Azur....
 where he worked on compositions for acoustic and electric instruments. He also worked together with musician
Musician

A musician is a person who plays or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument....
s like Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd are an English Rock music band who initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock and space rock music, and later, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music....
, Elton John
Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John Order of the British Empire is an England singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially during the 1970s....
, Sting and Yes
Yes (band)

Yes are an England progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968 in music. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess....
. Allegedly, parts of the Pink Floyd album The Wall
The Wall

The Wall is a rock opera presented as a double album by the England progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in late 1979. It was subsequently performed live, with elaborate theatrical effects, and made into Pink Floyd The Wall ....
 were recorded at his studio.

Reformation

In 1985 — three hundred years after Bach's birth — he refounded the Play Bach Trio with two new partners, percussionist André Arpino and double-bassist Vincent Charbonnier. Recent recordings include interpretations of compositions by Erik Satie
Erik Satie

Alfred ?ric Leslie Satie was a France composer and pianist. Starting with his first composition in 1884, he signed his name as Erik Satie....
, Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy

Achille-Claude Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he is considered one of the most prominent figures working within the field of Impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions....
, Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel

Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer and pianist of Impressionist music known especially for the subtlety, richness, and poignancy of his melodies, orchestral and instrumental Texture and effects....
, Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed il Prete Rosso , was a Baroque music composer and Venice priest, as well as a famous virtuoso violinist, born and raised in the Republic of Venice....
 and more. A recording, entitled Take Bach, made by the trio along with the Pekinel sisters
Pekinel sisters

G?her Pekinel and S?her Pekinel as identical twins, are w Turkey pianists performing mostly in duet....
 feature adaptations of Bach's concertos for two and three pianos.

Bassist Benoît Dunoyer De Segonzac
Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac

Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac is a noted virtuoso double bass player who performed with Jacques Loussier and Andre Arpino playing renditions by Johann Sebastian Bach / Eric Satie....
 has also performed in the trio, replacing Vincent Charbonnier on a number of albums and concerts, from at least as early as 1998 on the album "Satie: Gymnopédies Gnossiennes", up to as recent as May, 2008, when the trio performed at the Bury Festival in Bury St Edmunds, UK.

Lawsuit


In April 2002, Loussier filed a $10 million lawsuit against rap superstar Eminem
Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III , known by his primary stage name Eminem, or by his alter-ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer and actor....
 and The Marshall Mathers LP
The Marshall Mathers LP

The Marshall Mathers LP is the third studio album by American rapper Eminem, released in 2000. Widely seen as his magnum opus, the album sold over 1.76 million copies in its first week, earning a spot in the Guinness World Records as the fastest-selling rap album ever....
 executive producer Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre

Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records, also having produced albums for and overseeing the careers of many rappers signed to tho...
, claiming the beat for "Kill You" was stolen from his composition "Pulsion." He demanded that all sales of the album be halted and any remaining copies destroyed. A trial date was set to begin in June 2004.

Loussier Trio recordings

  • 2006 - Bach: The Brandenburgs (Telarc CD-83644)
  • 2005 - Mozart Piano Concertos 20/23 (Telarc CD-83628)
  • 2004 - Impressions of Chopin's Nocturnes (Telarc CD-83602)
  • 2003 - Beethoven: Allegretto from Symphony No. 7: Theme and Variations (Telarc CD-83580)
  • 2002 - Handel: Water Music & Royal Fireworks (Telarc CD 83544)
  • 2001 - BAROQUE FAVORITES. Jazz Improvisations: Works by Handel, Marais, Scarlatti, Marcello, Albinoni (Telarc CD 83516)
  • 2000 - PLAY BACH No 5 (DECCA 159 194-2)
  • 2000 - PLAY BACH AUX CHAMPS ELYSEES (DECCA)
  • 2000 - PLAY BACH No 4 (DECCA 157 893-2)
  • 2000 - PLAY BACH No 3 (DECCA 157 892-2)
  • 2000 - PLAY BACH No 2 (DECCA 157 562-2)
  • 2000 - PLAY BACH No 1 (DECCA 157 561-2)
  • 2000 - PLAYS DEBUSSY (Telarc CD 83511)
  • 2000 - BACH'S GOLDBERG VARIATIONS (Telarc CD 83479)
  • 2000 - BACH BOOK ANNIVERSARY (Telarc CD 83474) Compilation "Play Bach 93"
  • 1999 - RAVEL'S BOLERO (Telarc CD 83466)
  • 1998 - SATIE (Telarc CD 83431)
  • 1997 - JACQUES LOUSSIER PLAYS VIVALDI (Telarc CD 83417)
  • 1996 - LUMIERES "Messe Baroque du 21ième siècle" (Note productions CD 43707)
  • 1995 - JACQUES LOUSSIER PLAYS BACH (Telarc) Compilation "Play Bach 93" et "Les Thèmes en Ré" (Note Productions)
  • 1994 - PLAY BACH AUJOURD'HUI Les Thèmes en Ré (Note Productions CD 437000-4)
  • 1993 - PLAY BACH 93 Volume 1 (Note Productions CD 437000-2)
  • 1993 - PLAY BACH 93 Volume 2 (Note Productions CD 437000-3)
  • 1990 - LUMIERES "Messe Baroque du 21ième siècle" (DECCA CD 425217-2)
  • 1988 - The Greatest Bach Partita No.1 in B Flat Major BWV 825 - Orchestral Suite No.2 in B Minor BWV 1067 (Limelight CD 844 059-2 Decca Record Company)
  • 1988 - BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS (Limelight-Japan CD 844 058-2 Decca Record Company)
  • 1987 - BACH TO BACH (Start CD Original Live in Japan SMCD 19)
  • 1987 - JACQUES LOUSSIER LIVE IN JAPAN (King Record Japan CD original Live K32Y 6172)
  • 1986 - BACH TO THE FUTURE (Start CD SCD2)
  • 1985 - THE BEST OF PLAY BACH (Start STL6)
  • 1982 - PAGAN MOON (CBS CB271)
  • 1979 - PULSION SOUS LA MER (DECCA 844 060-2)
  • 1979 - PULSION (CBS 84078)
  • 1974 - JACQUES LOUSSIER ET LE ROYAL PHILARMONIC ORCHESTRA (DECCA PFS 4176)
  • 1974 - JACQUES LOUSSIER AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL (Philips 6370 550 D)
  • 1973 - JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO "6 master pieces" (Philips 6321-100)
  • 1972 - DARK OF THE SUN (MGM SE-4544ST)
  • 1965 - PLAY BACH AUX CHAMPS ELYSEES (DECCA coffret 2 albums SSL40.148)
  • 1964 - PLAY BACH No 5 (DECCA SSL 40.205 S)
  • 1963 - PLAY BACH No 4 (DECCA SSL 40.516)
  • 1962 - JACQUES LOUSSIER JOUE KURT WEIL (RCA 430-071)
  • 1959 - PLAY BACH No 3 (DECCA SSL 40 507)
  • 1959 - PLAY BACH No 2 (DECCA SSL 40 502)
  • 1959 - PLAY BACH No 1 (DECCA SS 40 500)


External links