Guy Lafitte

Guy Lafitte, a skilled swing tenor saxophonist whose primary influence remained Coleman Hawkins throughout his career, performed regularly in mainstream jazz contexts over several decades. He began on clarinet, appearing with gypsy ensembles devoted to swing. After taking up the tenor saxophone in 1947 and settling in Paris, Lafitte collaborated with Big Bill Broonzy in 1950, Mezz Mezzrow in 1951, Bill Coleman intermittently from 1952 onward, plus Dicky Wells and Buck Clayton. Across the years he repeatedly directed his own mainstream groups while also receiving frequent calls from visiting American veterans, among them Lionel Hampton in 1956, Duke Ellington for the 1961 film Paris Blues, Milt Buckner, Wallace Davenport, Arnett Cobb, and Wild Bill Davis. As a leader Lafitte recorded numerous sessions from 1954 to 1993, especially during the decade spanning 1954 to 1964, for CFD, Duc-Thomson, Pathe, French Columbia, VSM, French RCA, Vega, Black & Blue, and CTPL.