DISCOGRAPHY  PART 1  
   
  1  2  biography   I   discography  1  2  3  






Reviews: Nice organ jazz session by the little-known Lou Bennett, with a French group that includes Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Jean-Marie Ingrand (then Frenchman) on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Bennett was an American ex-patriat who recorded some of his best work in France, and he's got a lean clean style on the organ that's extremely compelling - and which reminds us a lot of the work of Jimmy McGriff at the time. The track list features a nice batch of modern jazz standards, like 'Green Dolphin Street', 'So What', 'Sister Sadie', and 'Jubilation' - plus Benett's own 'Brother Daniel'.
                               --
Clarke had been around a while, and Gourley was the guitarist of choice for Clifford Brown in his European sextet in the early 50´s. Cracking choice of Miles influenced material, including Horace Silver's Sister Sadie, So What, Green Dolphin Street, Junior Mance's Jubilation and Donald Byrd's Amen and a tune written for the session by the leader, Brother Daniel. It´s very upbeat, funky, swinging music and very rare.
click image to enlarge		 The Lou Bennett Quartet
recorded: July 1960 in Paris
issues: 1960 LP RCA CAMDEN 900.078 (original pressing, yellow RCA label) (France) ;
1970 RCA 900 078 (blue label) ; 1960 RCA 43005

LOU BENNETT (org); JIMMY GOURLEY (g); JEAN-MARIE INGRAND (b);
KENNY CLARKE (dr)

Side A
  1. On Green Dolphin Street
  2. Sister Sadie
  3. So What

Side B
  4. Jubilation
  5. Brother Daniel
  6. Amen
(Kaper)
(Horace Silver)
(Miles Davis)


(Junior Mance)
(Lou Bennett)
(Donald Byrd)
     



7 Inch RCA 76.429
click image to enlarge


VIK 3037 / click image to enlarge		 Amen / The Lou Bennett Quartet
recorded: July 1960 in Paris
original mono issue: September 1960 LP RCA/VICTOR 430.050 (France) ;
other issues: 1967 LP VIK 3037 (Spain) ; 1996 CD RCA BLUEBIRD 92512 ;
CD RCA/BMG 74321192512 (France) ; RCA/JAZZ! 74321192512 ; RCA VICTOR/BMG ;
CD RCA 359769 (Germany) ;
#A1 & B3 also on 7 Inch / 45 RPM, 1960 RCA 76.429 (France)

LOU BENNETT (org); JIMMY GOURLEY (g); JEAN-MARIE INGRAND (b except A3); KENNY CLARKE (dr)

Side A
  1. Sister Sadie
  2. So What
  3. Jubilation

Side B
  1. Brother Daniel
  2. On Green Dolphin Street
  3. Amen
(Horace Silver)
(Miles Davis)
(Junior Mance)


(Lou Bennett)
(Kaper)
(Donald Byrd)
     


 
click image to enlarge		 Brother Daniel / The Lou Bennett Quartet
issued: 7 Inch / 45 RPM, RCA 76.468

LOU BENNETT (org); JIMMY GOURLEY (g); JEAN-MARIE INGRAND (b); KENNY CLARKE (dr)

Side A
  1. Brother Daniel

Side B
  1. Blues Valse
  2. Le Vrai Blues

  All written by Lou Bennett
     


  Danse Et Rêvez Avec Le Trio Lou Bennett
recorded: summer 1960 in Paris
issues: October 1960 LP RCA 430 051 ;
#A2,5 & B1 + O Sole Mio also on 196? LP RCA 76430

LOU BENNETT (org); JIMMY GOURLEY (g); KENNY CLARKE (dr)

Side A
  1. Moins Que Rien (Misty)
  2. Les Enfants Du Pirée
  3. Tendrement (Tenderly)
  4. Clémentine
  5. Blues Valse

Side B
  1. Les Voiliers
  2. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
  3. Soleil De Minuit
  4. Verte Campagne
  5. Le Vrai Blues
(E. Garner)
(Hadjidakis)
(Pross/Lawrence)
(Marbot/Barclay)
(Lou Bennett)


(A. Pate/S. Castel)
(Burke/Van Heusen)
(Quincy Jones/H. Salvador)
(Gilkyson/Derr/Miller)
(Lou Bennett)

     


  Last Night / The Lou Bennett Quartet
L´indicatif de l´emission de Daniel Fillipacchi "Salut Les Copains"
issued: 1961 EP RCA 76.513 (France) ; #1 & 2 also on 7 Inch / 45 RPM, RCA 45.185

LOU BENNETT (org); JIMMY GOURLEY (g); ? PHILIP CATHERINE (g); further personnel unknown

  1. Last Night
  2. Salut Les Copines
  3. Après L'Heure
     


    Le Temps Du Twist / Lou Bennett
issued: 196? EP RCA/VICTOR 76 546(original french edition)

  1. Viens Danser Le Twist
  2. Veille Bien Sur Mon Amour
  3. Un P'tit Je Ne Sais Quoi
  4. Ya Ya Twist
     


  Un Portrait De Ray Charles Par Lou Bennett / Lou Bennett Orchestra
issued: 1961 EP RCA/VICTOR 76 534 (original french edition)

  1. Hit The Road Jack
  2. One Mint Julep
  3. What'd I Say
  4. Georgia On My Mind
     



RCA / VICTOR P/S 3-20001 /
click image to enlarge


RCA/VICTOR 3-20801

Reviews: Enregistré à Paris en mars 1963 chez RCA, 'Enfin’, le troisième album de Lou Bennett réédité en CD en 1997, juste après son décès, par BMG France. On y retrouve à la guitare, le fabuleux René Thomas, Charles Bellonzi aux batterie, et Gilbert Rovère à la basse. A noter le très beau thème de ‘Enfin’, à la rythmique étonnante.
                               --
Superb Spanish EP, great Modern/Soul jazz stuff with top hammond solos, Indicatif is a fast and furious dancer!

click image to enlarge



Spanish issue


RCA/CAMDEN CAS-260		 Enfin ! / Lou Bennett Quartet
recorded: March 1963 in Paris
original issue: 1963 LP RCA 430115 (France) ;
other isues: 1964 EP RCA/VICTOR P/S 3-20001 (Spain) ; also issued 1973 as Jazz Session RCA/CAMDEN CAS-260 (Spain) ; 1997 RCA/BMG 74321477962 (France);
Nov. 3, 1997 RCA VICTOR/BMG 2780 ? ; Oct. 22, 1999 RCA VICTOR CD 74321477962 ; Feb.16, 1999 BMG INTERNATIONAL CD 47796 ;

#A2,4 & B2 also on 7 inch / 45 RPM EP 1964 RCA/VICTOR 3-20801 (Spain) ;
#A2 also on RCA EP P/S 1000

LOU BENNETT (org); RENÉ THOMAS (g); GILLES ROVÈRE (b); CHARLES BELLONZI (dr); [? ARNETT COLEMAN; J. J. JOHNSON; VALTO LAITINEN]

Side A
  1. Moment's Notice
  2. I Remember Sonny
  3. Loin Du Brésil
  4. Indicatif

Side B
  1. Jane
  2. Enfin
  3. J. J.
  4. Indicatif
(Coltrane)
(Thomas)
(Laitinen)
(Thomas)


(Coleman)
(Bennett)
(J. J. Johnson)
(Thomas)

     


  Lou Bennett Et Son Orchestre
recorded: March 1963 in Paris
issued: EP RCA VICTOR 76 627 5

LOU BENNETT (org); RENÉ THOMAS (g); GILLES ROVÈRE (b); CHARLES BELLONZI (dr); [? ARNETT COLEMAN; J. J. JOHNSON; VALTO LAITINEN]

  1. Jane   (Coleman)
  2. Loin Du Brésil   (Valto Laitinen)
  3. Moment's Notice   (Coltrane)
  4. Indicatif   (Thomas)
     



click image to enlarge

liner notes: Par ces 3 titres enrgistrés dans la grande tradition du jazz, Lou Bennett nous fait revivre les mélodies attchantes et mystiques d´Harlem ou Lou Bennett a passé toute son enfance. Dans ce nouveau disque, ce prestigieux jazzman fait à nouveau preuve d´un talent que le dernier festival de Newport 1964, a su pleinement confirmer.
                               --
With these 3 titles recorded in the great jazz tradition, Lou Bennett makes us relive the catching and mystical melodies of Harlem, where he has spent his whole childhood. On this new disc the prestigious jazzman again prooves a talent, which was confirmed at the latest festival in Newport 1964.


BEL AIR 211205 / click image to enlarge

 Echoes Of Harlem / Lou Bennett et son orchestre avec Kenny Clarke
recorded: 1963?
issues: 7 Inch / 45 RPM, EP BEL AIR 211205 Médium ;
November 6, 1964 BEL AIR 411 052

LOU BENNETT (org) and his orchestra /w KENNY CLARKE (dr); CHARLES "BIG" JONES, MEMPHIS SLIM, LES DEAN SISTERS (voc); musical direction: PIERRE SPIERS

BEL AIR 211205:

Side A
  1. Echoes

Side B
  1. Sauveur, Ayez Pitié De Nous
  2. This Train



BEL AIR 411 052:

  1. J. J.
  2. Meeting
  3. Echoes
  4. Satin Doll
  5. Night In Tunisia


(Lou Bennett)


(C. Jones)
(traditional)





(J. J. Johnson)
(René Thomas)
(Lou Bennett)
(D. Ellington)
(D. Gillespie/F. Paparelli)
     


  Moon Dog - If I Had You / Lou Bennett Trio
recorded: ?
issued: 19? , 78 RPM, APOLLO 818

LOU BENNETT (org)

Side A
  1. Moon Dog

Side B
  2. If I Had You		  
     


    Watermelon Man / Lou Bennett
1964 or 1965?, EP BELGIUM POPCORN 14048 (F)

LOU BENNETT QUINTET /w KENNY CLARKE
     


Demo Single Take Me Out To The Ball Game / Lou Bennett featuring King Curtis
issued: 1964 or 66, 7 inch / 45 RPM, COLUMBIA DB 7296

LOU BENNETT (org); KING CURTIS (ts); FRANCO MANZECCHI (dr)

Side A
  1. Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Side B
  1. Dark Eyes
(J. Norworth/A. von Tilzer)
     


 
click image to enlarge		 Pentacostal Feeling / Lou Bennett
recorded: January (#4,6,7), March (#1-3,5) 1966 in Paris
original issues: 1966 LP FONTANA 70325 (France) ; 1966 PHILIPS P70325 L (F) (mono);
re-issues: LP PHILIPS P 703252 (F) ; CD EMARCY/UNIVERSAL CLASSICS 548 790-2 (F) (remastered Digipack) ; June 2001, CD GITANES 4037385 (Jazz in Paris collection);
2001 EMA/UNIVERSAL MUSIC S.A. 476033 (F) ;
#5 also on CD VERVE 841448-2 (F)

LOU BENNETT (org); RENÉ THOMAS (g); KENNY CLARKE (dr) & THE PARIS ALL JAZZ STARS (on #1-3) incl. DONALD BYRD (tp #1-3, arr, cond.)

  1. Pentacostal Feeling
  2. Echoes
  3. That Preachin' Man
  4. Peter's Waltz
  5. Easy Living
  6. Repetition
  7. Meeting		 (Donald Byrd)
(Lou Bennett)
(Donald Byrd)
(Sahib Shihab)
(Leo Robin/Ralph Rainger/Waller/Razaf)
(Neal Hefti)
(René Thomas)
     
Régulièrement engagé au Blue Note de la rue d'Artois dans les années 60, Lou Bennett s'y produisait souvent en trio en compagnie des guitaristes Jimmy Gourley et René Thomas et du batteur Kenny Clarke. Fort du succès commercial de Amen, son premier enregistrement, Lou s'associa au trompettiste Donald Byrd, alors élève dans la classe de composition de Nadia Boulanger, pour réaliser un album à l'architecture sonore ambitieuse. Bénéficiant de la guitare très mobile de René Thomas et de la souplesse rythmique de Kenny Clarke, le Paris Jazz All Stars jouant les toniques arrangements de Byrd, l'orgue churchy de Lou Bennett rugit de puissants accords. Le blues, musique des temples baptistes, imprègne une musique charnelle, largement ouverte à la danse.
click images to enlarge  

Original liner notes by Alain Tercinet
In order to transmit its flame to Lou Bennett and his disciples, the "Pentacostal Spirit" had been forced to make sweeping changes in its habits, and descend from Heaven well in advance. A good three months in fact, if you use the Gregorian calendar, but it was worth it: thanks to this dispensation, and after a long absence from recording, the organist had just jolted the memory - and what a jolt ! -  of all those who'd welcomed him six years earlier when he first reached Paris (at the instigation of Daniel Filipacchi, seduced by his playing during a visit to New York.)

Jean-Louis Benoit - Lou Bennett's real name, for his father came from Martinique - had arrived at the 'Blue Note' on the Rue d'Artois just in time to replace Bud Powell, who was long- ing for a holiday. Originally booked for eight weeks, and accompanied by Jimmy Gourley on guitar and Kenny Clarke on drums, he drew in hordes of jazz fans who wouid have otherwise taken off to the Mediterranean and the summer festivals.
The organist went into extra time. When this album was recorded, Lou's trio - with René Thomas replacing Jimmy Gourley - had been the 'Blue Note' house band tor six months, accompanying the likes of J. J. Johnson, Don Byas and Zoot Sims ... the rest of the year had been spent chasing festivals (who were fighting over their services), and taking gigs as varied as they were numerous, including "Ronnie Scott's" in London, and even an appearance at the "Olympia" theatre in Pariis.

Finally, it seemed that Lou Bennett had made the right choice at the right time:
"I abandoned the piano for money reasons, " he confessed to Jean-Louis Ginibre. "I never earned enough as a planist ... Usually a combo has four, five, six musicians. With an organ you can reduce the number to three. Club owners were happy to book an organist because they had less to pay, and more music, or more noise rather, because in those days...".
In passing, Lou recalled that as a boy he'd studied the harmonium, to accompany the hymns sung in the Baptist churches where his grandfather officiated: "At home there were only blues and spirituals. That's all I heard when I was a child, and it stayed with me. But I don't like playing only blues. Any modern theme can be played with a blues feeling. That's my feeling, and I think it may even be the only one I know."

That Preachin' Man, Echoes, or Pentacostal Feeling leave us in no doubts in that respect. All the more so since Donald Byrd, who was then a Paris student at Nadia Boulanger's composition classes, had the Paris Jazz All Stars grapple with Lou Bennett's trio by using scores whose feeling (and literally the spirit) prolonged the organist's "bluesy" style. On the other hand, a close listen to Peter's Waltz or Easy Leaving, and the polyphonic use Bennett makes of his instrument, or his dexterity with the pedals in supplementing the bass lines, makes Lou's self-portrait seem quite restrictive... The truth is, he was a formidable improviser, with a swing beyond reproach. Just try and keep still during Repetition or Meeting ...		   Original notes d'Alain Tercinet
Avec trois bons mois d'avance selon le calendrier gregorien mais le jeu en valait la chandelle: grace à cette dérogation, après un long silence discographique, I'organiste venait se rappeler - et de quelle facon ! - au bon souvenir de ceux qui l'avaient accueilli six ans plus tot; lorsqu'il avait gagné Paris, ä l'instigation de Daniel Filipacchi que son jeu avait seduit au cours d'un voyage ä New York.
Jean-Louis Benoit - le véritable patronyme de Lou Bennett dont le père venait de Martinique - (était arrivé juste à temps pour remplacer rue d'Artois, au "Blue Note", un Bud Powell aspirant à quelques vacances. Engagé pour huit semaines, accompagné de Jimmy Gourley à la guitare et de Kenny Clarke à la batterie, il avait rameuté, en plein été, tout le petit monde des aficionados du jazz à une periode où ils ont plutöt tendance à entamer une migration en direction de la Méditerranée et de ses manifestations festivalières. Du coup I'organiste joua les prolongations. Jusqu'à ce que, de fil en aiguille, au moment où le présent album est enregistré, son trio - René Thomas y remplace Jimmy Gourley - soit devenu, six mois par an, la formation-maison du dit "Blue Note". Accompagnant à I'occasion Jay Jay Johnson, Don Byas ou Zoot Sims... Le reste de l'année, les trois hommes passent leur temps a courir les festivals qui les réclament à cor et à cri, à assurer des engagements aussi divers que nombreux, au Ronnie Scott Club de Londres par exemple, sans pour autant se priver de faire, à l'occasion, un détour par le boulevard des Capucines en direction de l'Olympia. Au fond, Lou Bennett avait su faire à temps le bon choix: "J'ai abandonné le piano pour des raisons économiques, avouera-t-il à Jean-Louis Ginibre. Je n'ai jamais gagné assez d'argent comme pianiste. ...Habituellement, un combo groupe quatre, cinq, six musiciens. Avec un orgue cela permet de diminuer ces chiffres à trois musiciens. Les propriétaires de club étaient contents d'engager des organistes car ils avaient moins à payer et davantage de musique, ou plutot davantage de bruit car à cette epoque...".
Au demeurant Lou rappelait que, dans son enfance, il avait étudié l'harmonium pour accompagner les hymnes interprétés dans le temple baptiste où officiait son grandpère. "Chez moi il n'y avait que des blues ou des spirituals. C'est tout ce que j'ai entendu dans mon enfance et ça m'est resté. J'aime ça plus que n'importe quoi. Mais je n'aime pas jouer que le blues. N'importe quel thème moderne peut etre joué dans l'esprit blues. J'ai cet esprit là et je crois meme que c'est tout ce que j'ai ...". That Preachin' Man, Echoes ou Pentacostal Feeling ne laissent planer aucun doute à cet égard. D'autant plus que Donald Byrd, alors étudiant parisien dans la classe de composition de Nadia Boulanger, y met aux prises le Paris Jazz All Stars et le trio de Lou Bennett par le biais de partitions dont l'esprit et la lettre prolongent le style "bluesy" de l'organiste. Par contre, lorsque l'on prete attention, sur Peter's Waltz ou Easy Living par exemple, à l'usage polyphonique qu'il y fait de son instrument, à sa dextérité dans le jeu de pédales pour suppléer aux lignes de basse, I'auto-description de Lou Bennett semble bien restrictive... En verité, il s'agit d'un formidable improvisateur et d'un swingman sans reproche. A ce propos, essayez donc de rester parfaitement de marbre durant Repetition ou Meeting.
     


  Improvisacions Catalunya Jazz / Lou Bennett
recorded: 196? live at Catalunya Jazz Festival, Spain
issued: 1966, 7 Inch EP EDIGSA CM 151 (Spain)
also on Jazz A Catalunya - Various Artists CD EDIGSA 80.2989
(see Lou's  discography 3)

LOU BENNETT (org); produced by ALBERT MALLOFRÉ

Side A
  1. El Cant Dels Ocells
  2. La Cançó Del Lladre

Side B
  1. Muntanyes Regalades
  2. El Noi De La Mare

  all tracks are traditionals
     
Note: 'I Els Seus Amics' is a classic of Catalan jazz. All sung in Catalan. This LP was the continuation of the TETE MONTOLIU QUARTET & NURIA FELIU. But Albert Mallofré thought that in less than one year two LP´s of Nuria Feliu and Tete Montoliu were not good for the musical market of those years in Spain. He proposed Lou Bennett to record 6 tracks with Nuria Feliu (the record has 10 tracks). The tracks were chosen and fixed by Tete Montoliu. The four remaining tracks of the LP were recorded by Tete Montoliu and his group and named 'I Els Seus Amics' ('And Their Friends'). Only by  listening to these 4 tracks you can identify Tete clearly.
click image to enlarge		 I Els Seus Amics / Núria Feliu - Lou Bennett
recorded: 1966 in Barcelona
issued: 1966 LP EDIGSA CM 150L (Spain)

NURIA FELIU (voc); LOU BENNETT (org); PHILIP CATHERINE (g); TETE MONTOLIU (arranger of some tracks)

Side A
  1. Georgia, Georgia (Georgia On My Mind)
  2. Encara No (Speak Low)
  3. D'Aqui A L'Eternitat (From Here To Eternity)
  4. T'He Mirat (I Only Have Eyes For You)
  5. Nina De Seda (Satin Doll)

Side B
  1. No Saps La Feresa D´Amor (You Don’t Know What Love Is)
  2. Ningú No Ho Podrà Saber Com Jo
      (They Cant Take That Away From Me)
  3. Aquell Infant  (Nature Boy)
  4. Centims Del Cel  (Pennies From Heaven)
  5. Te' N Vas Anar (After You´ve Gone)
     
Satin Doll - Loin De Brésil / Lou Bennett Trio
recorded: October 1966 at the International Jazz Festival Prague
issued: 196?, 7 Inch SUPRAPHON (CZ)

LOU BENNETT (org); PHILIP CATHERINE (g); FRANCO MANZECCHI (dr)

Side A
  1. Satin Doll

Side B
  1. Loin De Brésil
(Duke Ellington)


(Valto Laitinen)
     

 
click image to enlarge		 I Should Care - Guess What / Lou Bennett Trio
issued: 1967, 7 Inch / 45 RPM, SP SUPRAPHON SUK 35673 (Ex-Czechoslovakia)

LOU BENNETT (org); PHILIPPE CATHERINE (g); FRANCO MANZECCHI (dr)

Side A
  1. I Should Care

Side B
  1. Guess What
     

  Lou Bennett Et Son Orchestre Avec Kenny Clarke
issues: 1970 or 71, 7 Inch EP SCORE 14048 (original French issue) ;
45 T EP Médium BEL-AIR DANSE 221211

LOU BENNETT (org); (el-g); (bgo); KENNY CLARKE (dr)

  1. Pentacostal Feeling
  2. Chateau En Suede
  3. Watermelon Man
  4. The Maigret Theme		 (Donald Byrd)

(Herbie Hancock)
     



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