Rachida Dati, French Culture Minister has written today:

‘The great Martial Solal has died at the age of 97. He was a legendary pianist and composer, whose name shines in the jazz firmament alongside the likes of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal. We still have the memory of his graceful playing, the nostalgia of the cellars of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, but above all his marvellous music, the soundtracks he composed for Melville, Godard and Orson Welles, recordings by the hundred… I send my most sincere condolences to his family, friends and jazz lovers the world over.’

His very last, touching words as he left the public stage for the last time, recorded on ‘Coming Yesterday’ in 2019 were:

“Thank you. I think I’ve told you everything. I do have a couple more tunes, but I’ll hold them back for next time – I don’t want to bore you, it’s better that you leave here serene. A nice chord like this. (plays F major first inversion). A good impression. Voilà. Merci“

Andre Hodeir wrote in the preface to Solal’s autobiography:

“‘Martial Solal, born in 1927, is a pianist. According to Alain Gerber, he is ‘one of the world’s greatest musicians, across all styles, genres and cultures’. Solal ‘astounded’ Sviatoslav Richter, dazzled Duke Ellington with his ‘sensitivity, freshness, creativity and extraordinary technique’, and Bill Evans placed him ‘in the top rank of jazz pianists’. He was also a composer, notably for large orchestras and for the cinema, collaborating with Jean-Luc Godard on ‘A bout de souffle / Breathless’ and with Orson Welles on ‘The Trial’.”

A delightful modest man but a giant of the music. RIP

from https://ukjazznews.com