Claude Bolling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claude Bolling
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Jazz musician and composer
Claude Bolling (2015) |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 10 April 1930 Cannes, France |
| Died | 29 December 2020 (aged 90) Saint-Cloud, France |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger, actor |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1944–2020 |
Claude Bolling (born April 10, 1930 – died December 29, 2020) was a famous French musician. He was a talented jazz pianist, a composer who wrote music, and an arranger who helped put music together. Sometimes, he even acted in movies! He was known for mixing different styles of music, especially jazz with classical music.
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Claude Bolling's Early Life and Music
Claude Bolling was born in Cannes, France. He studied music at the Nice Conservatory and later in Paris. He was a "child prodigy," which means he was incredibly talented from a very young age. By the time he was just 14, he was already playing jazz piano professionally. He even played with famous jazz musicians like Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge, and Kenny Clarke.
Bolling was a big part of bringing back traditional jazz music in the late 1960s. He became good friends with another legendary jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson.
Music for Movies and Cartoons
Claude Bolling wrote music for over one hundred films! Some of his well-known movie scores include:
- Borsalino (1970)
- Le Magnifique (1973)
- Flic Story (1975)
- California Suite (1978)
- The Awakening (1980)
He also composed the music for the popular Lucky Luke animated movies. These included Daisy Town (1971) and La Ballade des Dalton (1978).
Mixing Jazz and Classical Music
Bolling was especially famous for his "crossover" music. This is where he mixed jazz with classical music. One of his most popular works was the Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio. He created this with the famous classical flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal. This piece combined the elegant style of Baroque classical music with modern jazz swing.
The Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio was a huge hit, especially in the United States. It stayed at the top of the music charts for two years and was on the Billboard top 40 list for about ten years!
After working with Rampal, Bolling collaborated with many other musicians from different music styles. These included:
- Guitarist Alexandre Lagoya
- Violinist Pinchas Zukerman
- Trumpeter Maurice André
- Cellist Yo-Yo Ma
He also honored and performed with other jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Stéphane Grappelli, and Django Reinhardt.
Selected Albums
Claude Bolling released many albums throughout his career. Here are a few notable ones:
- French Jazz (1956)
- Rolling with Bolling (1957)
- Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio with Jean-Pierre Rampal (1975)
- Concerto for Classic Guitar and Jazz Piano with Alexander Lagoya (1976)
- Suite for Violin and Jazz Piano (1977)
- Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio with Yo Yo Ma (1984)
- Bolling: Suite No. 2 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio (1987)
Images for kids
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Bolling (far right) with Xavier Gélin (third from left) and Danièle Delorme (third from right), date unknown
See also
In Spanish: Claude Bolling para niños
