Henri Renaud was a Parisian jazz pianist in the 1940s and '50s who never lost his French touch. Outgoing, charming and a delightful composer, he was a natural point person for American musicians on tour in Paris in need of local sidemen, venues and recording opportunities. In addition to recording in the early 1950s in Paris with Bobby Jaspar, the Belgian saxophonist and flutist, Renaud recorded with Sandy Mosse, Nat Peck, Lee Konitz, Gigi Gryce, Tony Ortega, Art Farmer, Clifford Brown and many others American jazz greats. In early 1954, Renaud was in New York briefly to record with American jazz musicians for the French Swing label, a subsidiary of France's Vogue Records. For the balance of the 1950s, Renaud recorded steadily as the leader of a trio or small orchestra, writing a wide range of beautifully composed songs rich in melody and mood. In 1964, he began a long second career as head of CBS France. Renaud died in 2002.
In 1981, pianist Jimmy Rowles paid tribute to Renaud in the most exquisite way—accompanied only by bassist Michael Moore. The result was Profile: The Music of Henri Renaud (French Columbia), a warm, romantic album of nine Renaud songs as interpreted by the regal Rowles in New York. The album made it to CD in the early 1990s.
One suspects Rowles knew Renaud for years and only had an opportunity to record for him when he was in France in 1980 to record Jimmy Rowles in Paris for French CBS. The albums and Profile were part of the Renaud-produced "CBS Jazz Piano Collection" series. It's unclear whether Rowles or Renaud had the idea to record Renaud's songs in such a spare setting. My guess is it was Rowles, and the concept was a stroke of genius. The melodies held their own; Rowles simply dressed them up in his flattering style.
The tracks on Profile are Princess, Profile, Waltz 70, Telescopy, Burt's Pad, Christopher's Waltz and Ballad in C, Wallington Special and Marcel the Furrier. Perhaps the best know of these lovely songs is Burt's Pad, which was recorded originally by Renaud with Oscar Pettiford in 1954 with Kai Winding (tb), Al Cohn (ts), Henri Renaud (p), Tal Farlow (g), Pettiford (b,cello) and Max Roach (d).
As it turns out, Profile is among Rowles's finest recordings. What we find in Rowles's playing is Renaud's glorious sense of Parisian bop, which tended to be a bit prancier and lusher than the American attack—perhaps a result of Renaud's Parisian sensibility and his exposure to the elegance of Gigi Gryce and Quincy Jones in the early 1950s. Rowles has respect and admiration for Renaud who, as a composer and as a pianist, had wonderful taste and a tender touch. Fortunately, Rowles or Renaud had the good sense to keep the instrumentation spare. The onus was on Rowles to flesh out Renaud's melody lines with swing and compelling chord voicings while Moore keeps time, and he executes magnificently and sensitively. His sense of space is breathtaking. Rowles isn't just playing, he's telling you the story of an artist and a friendship.
Now the bad news. Profile is long out of print and now goes for ungodly sums. For example, Amazon has the 1990s CD listed for more than $1,000. This album needs to be released at least as a download. Perhaps Columbia in the States or Fresh Sound will re-issue it with Jimmy Rowles in Paris and the other Rowles albums Renaud produced. What we have is one of jazz's finest pianists interpreting one of France's best jazz composers, a remarkable album that overwhelms the senses.
JazzWax clips: Here's pianist Jimmy Rowles and bassist Michael Moore playing Henri Renaud's Burt's Pad...
Here's Telescopy...
Here's Ballad in C...
Here's Henri Renaud with Jimmy Gourley (g), Jean-Marie Ingrand (b) and Daniel Humair (d) playing Clarisse Blues...
And here's Burt's Pad recorded by the Oscar Pettiford Sextet in 1954, including Henri Renaud...
