Bernard Brumberg " Saha Distel "

Sacha Distel-Alexander, said Sacha Distel (Sasha is the Russian diminutive of the name Alexander) is a jazz guitarist, composer and singer of French origin Russian (by his father, Leonid Distel, Russian chemist emigrated) was born in Paris, January 29, 1933, died on Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer on 22 July 2004.

Through his mother, Andree Ventura, Sacha Distel is the nephew of Ray Ventura. It begins as a jazz guitarist in clubs of Saint-Germain-des-Pres.

He made his debut as a singer at the casino in 1958 in Algiers. After a romance with Brigitte Bardot, in 1963 he married Francine Bréaud skier with whom he had two son, Lawrence (1964) and Julien (1967).

Rocked by the agreements of "college" educated by the greatest, driven by Ray Ventura, Stan Getz, Django Reinhardt and many others, in the late 1950s, it will become one of the greatest jazz guitarists French. He played with Stephane Grappelli, Roger Guerin, Maurice Vander, and Michel Portal.

Sacha Distel was one of those men who refuse to enter into a mold. Do not support the strict limitations or shackles, he always had at heart to meet people who are the most original.

This trait, born of a rejection of the universe that surrounded the residential school where he grew up, was undoubtedly the source of his taste for novelty and curiosity. Thanks to his uncle Ray Ventura, he took as a model, Sacha Distel gradually became interested in jazz. "Uncle Raymond" had indeed fallen into the cauldron at a young age.

The Original Dixieland Jass Band, which marked the official beginning of the style was only a few years ago when Raymond Ventura got his own band in high school. He was quick to promote the heart of this musical in the 1930s and contributed to the breakthrough of "swing" in France.

Sacha Distel was therefore in a good school when his uncle moved to Paris with his "Collegians" and he could attend various rehearsals and recordings of the orchestra. Quickly absorbed by this new trend catchy, the young Sacha forsook his classical piano sound boring to exciting lands that seemed to offer less bourgeois instrument that is the guitar ...

It is with Henri Salvador and its installation in a studio apartment close to the Erlanger Street in 1947 as guitarist definitely took precedence over the high school student. Instructed to bring the rising star of Ray Ventura studios Neuilly, the young Sacha gradually became a student of the latter. Henri Salvador, whose success was already palpable, agreed to teach him the basics guitar which quickly opened the doors of the middle turn.

The formation of "Noise Makers", "young people" of the sixteenth arrondissement of Paris were not long wanting to count the young prodigy among them and that was the beginning of success ... Adored by young girls in the neighborhood, the band was quickly the inevitable "surprises-parties" with his New Orleans Jazz sounds.

It all began in 1947 after a Thursday in the company of Henri Salvador. Address: Di Mauro, 50 rue de la Reunion to Paris. A father and son consenting, stars in their eyes, ready to purchase that determined a lifetime. After an hour of selection and other festivities, Di Mauro is a light brown natural wood which had given the young Sasha.

Then, Sacha Baron Cohen created "his" model of jazz guitar, designed and manufactured until 1994 by brothers Jacobacci.

The first hours of the success of "Noise Makers" did not go unnoticed. Ray Ventura, who had heard of the thing proposed to young Bridget to come to an evening at the Alhambra in the winter of 1948. Dizzy Gillespie was playing with his band, a real shock to the teenager. When surrounded by those who will eventually become the great figures of world music (Bruno Merrick, Paul Misraki, Andre Horn), Sasha discovers the Be-Bop, convinced that he was listening, no doubt, the future of jazz music. The very next day, he hopes to parlay the while trying to rally the Noise Makers to his new quest. This attempt to seal the end of the orchestra and give rise to two competing groups: the New Orleans Diehard Guy Wormser and aficionados of cool jazz and bebop led by Sasha. It is by meeting with Hubert Damisch, a saxophonist and a fan of cool jazz, Bridget founded the group that will allow it to enter the big league. With the help of Jean-Marie Ingrand (bass), Mimi Perrin (piano) and Jean Louis Viale (drums) they won at the Coliseum Night Jazz From the award for best small modern orchestra (Hubert Sacha and harvesting, for their , prices as tenor sax, and guitar). The Café restaurant Sully Auteuil are engaged to play every Saturday afternoon, Jean-Louis Durand offers to accompany him on a tour in Britain. This is the beginning of the career of musician Sacha who begins the baccalaureate a year later.

Admirably "coached" in Paris by Henri Salvador sure taste for sweet melodies and rhythms bewitching, Bridget will explore black music. He was 19 when Ray Ventura's off to New York to learn English and publishing business The composition has always been one of the major interests of Sacha Distel. Sasha has always loved the stage. Alone, with or without guitar, group, or a big band for a musical, he hardly hesitated to go on stage whenever he had the opportunity (including the Queen of England).
 

Crowned in 1959 by the Grand Prix of the Académie Charles Cros, it starts at the screen with "The fanatics". From 1962 he began hosting talk shows on television, including "Sacha Show" and Gilbert Carpentier, who had issue including author Serge Gainsbourg and Jean Yanne.

On 28 April 1985 he suffered a road accident on the N7 in the crossing of the hamlet of Maltaverne (common Tracy-sur-Loire, near Cosne-sur-Loire), on board accompanied by a Porsche actress Chantal Nobel, then the TV series Châteauvallon heroin. Chantal Nobel, severely injured, disabled for life emerges. He himself was slightly wounded and was sentenced to one year in jail for unintentional injuries.

He starred in the musical Chicago in London in 2001.

He died at age 71 July 22, 2004 as a result of a skin cancer. He is buried in the crypt of the family property of his parents-in-Canadel Rayol.

It is a part, with Henri Salvador, the only two French pop singers to appear in the Dictionary of Jazz.

"The kind of guitar I play is less popular than the kind of songs I sing. "

"I remember when Sacha Distel was a jazz guitarist. "