{{Short description|French musician (1926–2012)}} '''Jean-François Quiévreux''' (25 July 1926 – 5 February 2012<ref>[http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/em/open-jazz/emission.php?e_id=65000050&d_id=435000447 Todesmeldung bei France Musique – Open jazz] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207181421/http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/em/open-jazz/emission.php?e_id=65000050&d_id=435000447 |date=2012-02-07 }}, 6 February 2012. Retrieved, 15 February 2012.</ref>), better known as '''Jef Gilson''', was a French clarinetist,<ref name=clergeat/> pianist, arranger, vocalist,<ref name=clergeat/> composer and big band leader.
"In the occupation of which he initiated groups" proved Gilson "an excellent grasp of the 'discovery' and the promotion of young talent."<ref>Jost, Europas Jazz, S. 375</ref>
==Life and work== Classically trained as a clarinetist, Gilson began playing with Claude Luter in the band of Boris Vian. In 1947 he switched to the piano.<ref name=clergeat/>
He formed a big band in 1963, members of which included, at various stages, Bill Coleman, Bernard Vitet, Ivan Jullien,<ref name=clergeat/> Michel Portal,<ref name=clergeat/> Jean-Louis Chautemps,<ref name=clergeat/> François Jeanneau,<ref name=clergeat/> Michel Portal,<ref name=clergeat/> Jean-Luc Ponty,<ref name=clergeat/> Bernard Lubat,<ref name=clergeat/> Lloyd Miller and Henri Texier.<ref name=clergeat/> Woody Shaw and Nathan Davis performed and recorded with the orchestra in spring 1965.<ref name=clergeat>Clergeat, André; Barry Kernfeld. [https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/browse?page=75&pageSize=20&sort=titlesort&subSite=grovemusic&t=music_Topics%3A42&t0=music_Eras%3A9 "Gilson, Jef".] ''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 8 December 2022.</ref>
In addition, in 1965 he joined the vocal sextet Les Double Six, first as and a member, later as its musical director.<ref name=clergeat/>
Gilson's recordings, on which early compositions with tempo changes (''Enfin!'', ''Œil Vision''), bitonal layers and chromatic topics are included, first appeared on a mini label. Some of the harmonic function has been overridden in his compositions since 1964, without, being exclusively free jazz oriented (New Call from France, MPS 1966). Commercial success did not materialize, so that in 1968 Gilson temporarily went to Madagascar. In 1971 he returned and concentrated first on ethno jazz and later "total improvisation". In 1973 he founded his label, Palm, on which are especially the recordings with his orchestra Europamerica, and with Butch Morris. For this more arranged record, which started reflecting his achievements of free jazz, he was awarded the 1978 Prix Boris Vian. Up to his final days he lived withdrawn in Ardèche.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130213170053/http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/actualite/index.php?postID=4802 Profil von Jef Gilson – Mort du jazzman Jef Gilson, bei Radio France, 6 February 2012.]</ref>
== Bibliography == * Ekkehard Jost, ''Europas Jazz. 1960–1980''. Frankfurt a.M. 1987, {{ISBN|3-596-22974-X}}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{discogs artist|239566}} * {{AllMusic|id=mn0000237010|title=Jef Gilson}} * [https://www.forcedexposure.com/reviewgilson.aspx Byron Coley article on Jef Gilson]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilson, Jef}} Category:1926 births Category:2012 deaths Category:French jazz pianists Category:French jazz composers Category:French male composers Category:French jazz clarinetists Category:Conservatoire de Paris alumni Category:French jazz saxophonists Category:French male saxophonists Category:French male jazz pianists Category:French music arrangers Category:People from Guebwiller Category:Musicians from Haut-Rhin Category:20th-century French pianists Category:20th-century French saxophonists Category:20th-century French clarinetists Category:20th-century French male musicians