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16/05/2015
16/05/2015

MY STORY WITH MAL WALDRON

Christian Ducasse learned photojournalism in Aix-en-Provence University with Jacques Windenberger and started as a professional in Marseille. He had various collaborations in jazz area including Jazz Magazine and Jazzman (1980-2009) and several contributions with records labels : Free Lance, Owl, Sketch, Marge… Universal Jazz. Also free lance contributor to Le Monde, Libération, L’Humanité, Télérama, or Gamma press agency. As a concerned jazzfan he created in Marseille « Le Cri du Port » in 1981. He  travelled to New York, Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, … to discover music in these significant places. Recently he has exhibited his work about jazz life in Nîmes, Chambéry and Marseille.

« I met Mal Waldron at an Archie Shepp concert South of France in january 1981.The organizers had asked me to pick him up at the Saint-Charles train station in Marseille. We eventually made it to the venue, just in time. Mal Waldron and bass player Santi Debriano were already there, barely noticing the late arrival of their leader, and pursuing their game of chess, while a full audience was making their impatience heard.
Back in Marseille, we extended the evening with Mal Waldron who, during that night, treated us to a rendition of Monk on the excellent grand piano of an Armenian restaurant. As a trainee journalist back then, I would never have imagined the forthcoming rich times I would get to spend with Mal Waldron who I only knew through his numerous recordings.
The rest of my story with Mal Waldron would be marked by the presence of committed producers such as Jean-Paul Rodrigue (Free Lance), Jean-Jacques Pussiau (Owl) and Philippe Ghielmetti (Sketch). Gérard Terronès would never be too far : without him Mal Waldron would never have appeared on French stages so often, sometimes in rather underground places such as the Trou Noir, the Lycée Autogéré or his own “festival des musiques mutantes”.
»

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To accompany your visit, you can listen this track by Mal Waldron, ‘Warm Canto’ on New Jazz
 


 

 
 
Quartet of Archie Shepp on stage.
Martigues, january 1981

A_Shepp.4t.81_284_byDucasse

 
Mal Waldron at Kool Jazz Festival which the artistic director was George Wein.
New York City, june 1982

Mal Waldron New York City 29 juin 1982

 
Mal Waldron and bass player Santi de Briano playin chess in front of Kenny Clarke et jazz club Hot Brass.
Aix-en-Provence, june 1983

D_Waldron.Clarke.deBriano.83_byDucasse

 
Saxophonist Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron, soundcheck before a concert in La Cour des Papes.
Avignon, july 1984

Steve Lacy Mal Waldron cour des Papes Avignon 31 juillet 1984

 
Saxophonist Marion Brown and Mal Waldron before to go on stage at Lycée Autogéré (left wing).
Paris, february 198
5
Marion Brown et Mal Waldron , Paris 1985

 
Mal Waldron and saxophonist Chico Freeman in duet at Théâtre Dejazet during festival of Musiques Mutantes.
Paris, october 1986

Mal Waldron Chico Freeman festival des musiques mutantes Paris octobre 1996

 
Marion Brown and Mal Waldron, photo session at home of their french producer Jean-Paul Rodrigue, of Free Lance Records.
Paris, november 1988

H_Brown.Waldron.88_1582-12_byDucasse

 
The singer Jeanne Lee and Mal Waldron at studio Acousti.
Paris, may 1994

Jeanne Lee Mal Waldron studio Acousti Paris 1994

 
Jean-Jacques Pussiau, producer of Owl Records, with Jeanne Lee and Mal Waldron at studio Acousti.
Paris, may 1994

Jean-Jacques Pussiau Jeanne Lee Mal Waldron studio Acousti Paris mai 1994

 
Jeanne Lee and Mal Waldron, photo shoot at Christian Chamourat’s studio.
Paris, june 1994

Jeanne Lee Mal Waldron studio photo de Christian Chamourat Paris 1994

 
The singer Judith Niemack and Mal Waldron, photo session for their french producer Jean-Paul Rodrigue, of Free Lance Records at Bec d’Andaine before the concert at Bec de Jazz.
Genêts, july 1994

Judith Niemack Mal Waldron Bec de Jazz Genets juillet 1994

 
«Around Monk» at Banlieues Bleues festival: Mal Waldron piano, Steve Lacy soprano, Enrico Rava trumpet, Reggie Workman bass, Roswell Rudd trombon et Andrew Cyrille drums.
Drancy, february 2000

M_AroundMonk.00_3286-26_byDucasse

 
Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron at jazz club Le Duc des Lombards.
Paris, january 2002

Steve Lacy Mal Waldron au jazz club le Duc des Lombards janvier 2002

 
Recording sessions for Sketch label of Philippe Ghielmetti et studio de la Buissonne with sound enginer Gérard de Haro.
Pernes-les-Fontaines, january 2002

O_DeHaro.Waldron.02_3786-19_byDucasse

 
Demonstration of french game, pétanque, with Mal Waldron. Philippe Ghielmetti and Jean-Jacques Avenel laughin.
Saint-Didier, january 2002

P_Lacy.Waldron.Avenel.02_3791-3A_byDucasse

 
Susanne Abbuehl and Mal Waldron in backstage of Banlieues Bleues festival. Behind them,chief editor of Jazz Magazine, Philippe Carles.
Drancy, april 2002

Susanne Abbuehl Mal Waldron festival Banlieues Bleues avril 2002

 
Photo session for the label Sketch at home of Mal Waldron.
Bruxelles, may 2002

Mal Waldron chez lui Bruxelles mai 2002


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Comments (7)

  1. Jacques Ponzio says:

    Énorme, magnifique, émouvant. Bravo Christian, j’adore, et je partage

  2. John Betsch says:

    One of the most special human beings and musicians I ever had the pleasure and honor of working with: we toured Japan, gigs in NYC, Capetown and, of course Europe: I’m in that photo of Archie Shepp quartet with Santi. Reggie Workman and I introduced Mal and Jeanne and our first gig in NYC was on Jeanne’s birthday. The band with Jim Pepper and Ed Schuller made people cry…..

    1. jdenis says:

      thanks John the great !!!!! hope to hear you soon… Peace

  3. Marcello Menta says:

    Great fan of Mal’s for many years, met him once in 2000, and got an autograph (between lots of smoke). Just found this site, while listening to “Mal Waldron Trio” – Karim, 1966 for the first time, this CD has just arrived from eBay. Incredible pictures, congratulations.

  4. John Hurt says:

    He’s my favorite jazz piano player ever. Just wish I could have seen him play live. Have over a hundred of his records (which is still less than half of total)!

  5. Rita De Vuyst says:

    I had the honor to invite Mal in my club Afkikker, even twice, and he introduced me to Steve Lacy. Mal visited the concert of Lacy’s farewell to Europe in Brussels. And I could participate in the concert of the grand duo at the Lincoln Palace in New York, this was great!! Thank you Mal

  6. wilfen says:

    I’m writing this on New Year’s Day 2021, listening to “Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron at the Bimhuis 1982,” a cd that arrived about an hour ago. I now live in Kyoto, Japan, but in 1989 I lived in St. Louis, MO. That summer on a business trip I was directed to Kimball’s West, where I enjoyed listening to Mal Waldron, Reggie Workman, Ricky Ford, and Eddie Moore. I was just beginning to learn about jazz in those days, and Eddie Moore was like a saint and guiding angel. At the breaks, he told me about the other players, and he stressed that Mal Waldron was a living legend and genius, and “That guy on the bass is really famous. You’ve listened to his music before even if you didn’t know his name.” I recall that he told me that Mal was in a private mood that evening and only wanted to talk to his lady, a Japanese woman who I believe was his wife.

    In 1993, I moved to Japan and have continued listening to and learning about jazz. All the while, my appreciation for Mal Waldron has grown and deepened. I’ve also found that he has a very loyal following in Japan, and his recordings are highly valued.

    For me, that evening in 1989 is a treasured experience for several reasons. First, because I spent time talking to a truly generous and kindhearted man named Eddie Moore, who enthusiastically encouraged my interest in jazz. And second, because I began an ongoing relationship with the music of legend and genius Mal Waldron.

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