Like trumpeter Harry James, Fats Sadi began his musical career in the company of clowns. The Belgian jazz musician played the xylophone in a touring circus before World War II. After the war, he took up the vibraphone and recorded as a sideman and as a leader. He could play swing and bop, and his earliest recordings in 1946 were with fellow Belgian standout, saxophonist and flutist Bobby Jaspar.
In 1950, Sadi moved to Paris in search of work and began playing at the many jazz clubs there in combos and recording as a sideman with Henri Renaud and Django Reinhardt. Sadi reunited with Jaspar in May 1953 on a three-song session that is part of a recently released album Fats Sadi: Sadi's Vibes, a Retrospective 1953-1961 (Fresh Sound). The album features Sadi on vibes across a range of small groups.
Sadi's leadership sessions start with the Fats Sardi's Combo, recorded in May 1954. In October of that year and in 1958, he was back with Jaspar before recording with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar in 1959 The album closes out in Brussels in 1961. These are scattered tracks but ones that prominently feature Sadi's firm vibes and cool, tender attack with West Coast jazz overtones. There's a guitar-like quality to his playing, and this album serves as a perfect introduction to a tasty player with plenty of swing and moxie. Fresh Sound features many other Sadi recordings. Have a look.
Fats Sadi died in 2009.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Fats Sadi: Sadi's Vibes, a Retrospective 1953-1961 (Fresh Sound) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Le JAMF in December 1958 with Bobby Jaspar (fl), Fats Sadi (vib), Jymie Merritt (b) and Kenny Clarke (d)...
Here's Ad Libitum in May 1954, with Roger Guerin (tp,tu), Nat Peck (tb), Jean Aldegon (b-cl), Bobby Jaspar (ts), Fats Sadi (vib), Maurice Vander (p), Jean-Marie Ingrand (b)and Jean-Louis Viale (b), arranged by Francy Boland...
And here's Honky Tonk in October 1954, with Bobby Jaspar's New Jazz : Buzz Gardner and Roger Guerin (tp), Nat Peck (tb), Jean Aldegon (as), Bobby Jaspar (ts), Armand Migiani (bar), Pierre Michelot (b), Gerard “Dave" Pochonet (d)...
In 1950, Sadi moved to Paris in search of work and began playing at the many jazz clubs there in combos and recording as a sideman with Henri Renaud and Django Reinhardt. Sadi reunited with Jaspar in May 1953 on a three-song session that is part of a recently released album Fats Sadi: Sadi's Vibes, a Retrospective 1953-1961 (Fresh Sound). The album features Sadi on vibes across a range of small groups.
Sadi's leadership sessions start with the Fats Sardi's Combo, recorded in May 1954. In October of that year and in 1958, he was back with Jaspar before recording with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar in 1959 The album closes out in Brussels in 1961. These are scattered tracks but ones that prominently feature Sadi's firm vibes and cool, tender attack with West Coast jazz overtones. There's a guitar-like quality to his playing, and this album serves as a perfect introduction to a tasty player with plenty of swing and moxie. Fresh Sound features many other Sadi recordings. Have a look.
Fats Sadi died in 2009.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Fats Sadi: Sadi's Vibes, a Retrospective 1953-1961 (Fresh Sound) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Le JAMF in December 1958 with Bobby Jaspar (fl), Fats Sadi (vib), Jymie Merritt (b) and Kenny Clarke (d)...
Here's Ad Libitum in May 1954, with Roger Guerin (tp,tu), Nat Peck (tb), Jean Aldegon (b-cl), Bobby Jaspar (ts), Fats Sadi (vib), Maurice Vander (p), Jean-Marie Ingrand (b)and Jean-Louis Viale (b), arranged by Francy Boland...
And here's Honky Tonk in October 1954, with Bobby Jaspar's New Jazz : Buzz Gardner and Roger Guerin (tp), Nat Peck (tb), Jean Aldegon (as), Bobby Jaspar (ts), Armand Migiani (bar), Pierre Michelot (b), Gerard “Dave" Pochonet (d)...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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