Martial Solal, France's most gifted jazz pianist whose recording career began in 1953 with guitarist Django Reinhardt and included sessions, gigs and concerts with virtually every American great, from Sidney Bechet, Don Byas and Lucky Thompson to Kenny Clarke, Zoot Sims and Stan Getz, died on December 12. He was 97 years old. [Photo above of Martial Solal]

Solal's interest in jazz began in his teens, just as French radio stations were gaining access to American 78s and American jazz musicians were relocating to Paris or touring there. He had an exceptional ear early on. Classically trained, he was able to school himself in jazz's intricacies by listening to the radio.

Over the course of his career, Solal was an exceptional solo and trio pianist and a magnificent big band leader. His jazz approach on the piano was jaggedly romantic and intellectually engaged, making him perfectly suited for the rise of France's New Wave cinema movement that began in 1960.?

His film soundtracks have been vastly overlooked, as most fans tend to focus on his Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk interpretations. I have always found his New Wave film scores to be among his most interesting works, synthesizing French modern classical and jazz, giving movies a hip and sophisticated feel. The film movement's brooding, existential airs and Solal's cool, introspective sound snapped together perfectly.

While Solal's later recordings could be overly rendered to mask songs' original melodies, especially on standards, the magic of his playing style and stunning technique always won out. His approach was a combination of Art Tatum and Bud Powell with a dash of Earl “Fatha" Hines.

Let's dig into 13 audio clips and four bonus videos...

Here's Dinah in 1953, one of Solal's first recordings...



Here's La Chaloup��e in 1953...



Here's Solal's fascinating rendition of Poinciana, turned inside out, in 1954...



Here's The Song Is You in 1955...



Here's a searing Cherokee in 1956...



Here's Solal and his big band in 1956, playing Horloge Parlant...



Here's Special Club in 1958...



Here's Herald Tribune from the 1960 film Breathless (A Bout de Souffle)...



Here's Verneuillade from the same film...



Here's Basie-Likes in 1962...



Here's The Continental in 1976,,,



Here's The End of a Love Affair in 1983...



And here's Have You Met Miss Jones, from his final recording in 2019...



Bonus clips: Here's Solal with Stan Getz in 1958 with Pierre Michelot on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums in Cannes, France...



Here's On Green Dolphin Street with Guy Pedersen on bass and Daniel Humair on drums in Antibes, France, in 1964,,,



Here's Solal with Hank Jones in 2009 at the Jazz �� Vienne festival...



And here's Solal's Herald Tribune?matched to Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless film clips, featuring Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo...