René Urtreger

Today we’re listening to René Urtreger, a French jazz pianist and composer from Paris. Born in 1934, he started playing piano classically at age four, and in the ‘40s got into jazz. American pianist Bud Powell inspired him to play bebop, to the point where Urtreger’s first LP (released 1955) is called Joue Bud Powell. We’re playing that record as well as a recently released compilation Early Trios 1954-1957, which unfortunately isn’t available on all streaming services yet. In the late ‘50s, Miles Davis selected Urtreger for his European tour, which also led to Urtreger performing on Davis’s score for Elevator to the Gallows. That score was improvised in a Paris recording studio in one night, a session of which the Criterion Collection has footage. Urtreger passed away last week at age 92.

Joue Bud Powell - René Urtreger (25m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Early Trios 1954-1957 - René Urtreger (78m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Have a great Thursday.