Don Rendell, David Amram, Guy Pedersen, Bobby Jaspar and Jean-Pierre Leloir. Studio Jouvenet, Paris, March 17, 1955.
A FEW WORDS by
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Michel Legrand
HOMMAGE de
Michel Legrand
In my days as a young student, I noticed a photographer under the light of his flash, coming
and going around the jazz players, shooting during concerts at the jazz clubs. I didn’t know,
however, that his name was Jean-Pierre Leloir, and that some time later he would also focus
his attention on me. Eventually, I gained some recognition as a jazz player, and with the
passing of the years, friendship arose between us under the light of his camera thanks to
the quality of his portraits, which always bloomed with life, action and music.
Déjà jeune étudiant, j’observais un photographe à la lumière de son flash, tournant autour
des musiciens de jazz, mitraillant durant les concerts dans les boîtes de jazz sans savoir
qu’il s’appelait Jean-Pierre Leloir et qu’un jour, plus tard, il tournerait aussi autour de
moi. J’ai senti une timide célébrité rôder et peu à peu une amitié est née entre nous à la
lumière de son objectif et à la qualité de ses portraits toujours pris sur le vif, en action,
en musique.
Jean-Pierre was himself a musician, but his choice of instrument was a camera, which he
never put away.
Jean-Pierre était un musicien, mais son instrument de musique était un appareil photo
dernier cri dont il ne se séparait jamais.
Time passed and he was always at our side, his photos showing the highlights of many
memories that marked our lives. Leloir’s images seem to be there to prove that those events
indeed took place (look, that’s you in the photo!) and to leave a lasting memory of those who
are no longer with us, but who thanks to his skills, still look at us from these pages.
Il a compté avec nous les années, en milliers de regards, mis des points d’orgue sur tant
de souvenirs qui aujourd’hui retracent notre vie, comme pour nous prouver que tout ceci
a eu lieu (regardez c’est bien vous) et prolonger ainsi, et pour toujours, pour ces disparus
qui nous regardent encore, grâce à lui.
Thanks a lot, Jean-Pierre Leloir. You’ll never be forgotten.
Merci Jean-Pierre Leloir, tu ne seras jamais oublié.
A FEW WORDS by
Martial Solal
HOMMAGE de
Martial Solal
I first met Jean-Pierre Leloir at Club Saint Germain des Près in the ‘50s. He went there
often because, at that time, I think he was primarily interested in jazz musicians. At least
that’s what it looked like to me. Saint-Germain was at the peak of its popularity then. It
was always full of peculiar characters, and Leloir was in the neighborhood almost every
night. During that period, Leloir was one of the very few photographers interested in the
musicians, and he was certainly the only one who knew us by name. His manners and
behavior always seemed very professional, highly precise and meticulous, and it was
apparent that he loved what he was doing and admired his chosen models.
J’ai croisé Jean-Pierre Leloir pour la première fois au Club St Germain des Près dans les
années cinquante. Il y venait souvent car je pense qu’à l’époque, il se consacrait surtout
aux musiciens de jazz, du moins c’est ce que nous croyions. Il était presque tous les soirs
dans le quartier car c’était la grande époque de Saint-Germain et les sujets intéressants
ne manquaient pas. Pendant quelques années, il a été l’un des rares photographes à
s’intéresser aux musiciens et il était le seul que nous connaissions. Il m’a donné tout
de suite l’impression de quelqu’un de très professionnel, très précis, méticuleux, aimant
vraiment ce qu’il faisait, appréciant ses modèles.
Twenty years later, after a career in which he took pictures of nearly all of the important
celebrities in the art world, Leloir invited me to visit the place where he kept his archives.
I was really impressed by the immense number of documents, and by the absolute order
governing the place. In 1966, I decided to make a play on words based on the title of
one of my own compositions: “Leloir est Cher” [“Cher” means both “expensive” and
“loved”, and it is also an allusion to the French department Loir-et-Cher]. It was meant as
a compliment, and I think Leloir was smart enough to understand it.
Quelque vingt ans plus tard, alors qu’il avait filmé tout ce que le monde artistique
compte de personnalités, il m’avait fait visiter le lieu où il rangeait toutes ses archives.
J’étais vraiment très impressionné par la quantité de documents et par l’ordre qui régnait.
En 1966, je m’étais autorisé un jeu de mot sur le titre d’une mes compositions : « Leloir est
cher ». Ce qui était de ma part un compliment. Je pense qu’il était assez intelligent pour
l’avoir compris.
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