French Jazz Pianist Bolling to Perform in September
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Acclaimed French jazz pianist Claude Bolling will be performing at the Guro Arts Valley Theater, Guro on Sept. 18.
Bolling, who is also a composer and conductor, will be accompanied by a seven-member jazz band for his September concert.
Bolling is considered by some as the creator of ``crossover music,'' after he and Jean-Pierre Rampal released the groundbreaking ``Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio'' album in 1976. His idea of combining jazz with classical music proved to be a success, and the album stayed on the Billboard charts for a phenomenal 10 years.
Born in Cannes in 1930, Bolling studied at the Nice Conservatory and later transferred to Paris. He was considered a child prodigy, and he was already playing jazz piano professionally by the age of 14. He performed with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge and Kenny Clarke.
Bolling is also known for his musical compositions for more than a hundred films. He composed the score for a documentary about the Cannes Film Festival in 1957, as well as the films ``Borsalino'' and ``California Suite.''
Throughout the decades, Bolling has worked with numerous musicians like Alexandre Lagoya, Maurice Andre and Yo-Yo Ma. He has also been called ``Duke Ellington's spiritual son." He was a friend and protege of the jazz legend, and has continued to interpret Ellington's music faithfully. He even recorded Ellington's ``Black, Brown and Beige" in 1989.
Bolling has over 30 albums to his credit, including ``First Class," ``Cross Over U.S.A.," ``Suite for Violin and Jazz Piano Trio" and ``Concert for Guitar and Jazz Piano Trio."
Korean fans will be treated to Bolling's unique style of jazz at his concert next month. Tickets are 50,000 won, 40,000 won and 30,000 won. A 20 percent discount is available for members of the Guro Arts Valley online community. Visit www.guroartsvalley.or.kr or call (02) 2029-1700~1. Tickets are also available on www.auction.co.kr (1566-1369) and www.interpark.co.kr (1544-1555).