Who Are Those Composers? ~ Claude Bolling

Claude Bolling was born in Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France on April 10, 1930. A child prodigy, by age 14 he was playing jazz piano professionally, with Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge, and Kenny Clarke. Bolling's books on jazz technique show that he did not delve far beyond bebop into much avant garde jazz. He was a major part of the traditional jazz revival in the late 1960s, and he became friends with Oscar Peterson.

Bolling has written music for over one hundred films, including a 1957 documentary about the Cannes Film Festival, and films such as “The Hands of Orlac” (1960), “World in My Pocket” (1961), “Me and the Forty Year Old Man” (1965), “Atlantic Wall” (1970), “Borsalino” (1970), “To Catch a Spy” (1971), “Le Magnifique” (1973), “Borsalino & Co.” (1974), “Flic Story” (1975), “The Passengers” (1977), “Silver Bears” (1978), “California Suite” (1978), “L'Homme en colère” (1979), “The Awakening” (1980), “Willie & Phil” (1980), “Three Men to Kill” (1980), “The Bay Boy” (1984), “He Died with His Eyes Open” (1985), “Try This One for Size” (1989) and “Chance or Coincidence” (1998).

Bolling is also noted for a series of "crossover" collaborations with classical musicians. His Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio with Jean-Pierre Rampal, a mix of Baroque elegance with modern swing, has been a top seller for many years, and was followed up by other works in the same vein. It was particularly popular in the United States, at the top of the hit parade for two years after its release and on the Billboard top 40 for 530 weeks, roughly ten years.

Following his work with Rampal, Bolling went on to work with many other musicians, from different genres, including guitarist Alexandre Lagoya, violinist Pinchas Zukerman, trumpeter Maurice André, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. He has also worked with, and performed tributes to many others, including Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, and Oscar Peterson.

Bolling is known by most Euro-western fans for his compositions for the Lucky Luke cartoon film and TV series.

BOLLING, Claude [4/10/1930, Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France -     ] – writer, composer, conductor, arranger, musician (piano), actor.

Lucky Luke: Daisy Town* – 1971

     Song: “Poor Lonesome Cowboy” sung by Pat Woods

     Song: “Volia le quadrille!” sung by Philippe Clay

     Song: “Dalton Theme” sung by Jean Stout

     Song: “Daisy Town Saloon Song” sung by Nicole Croisille

Lucky Luke: The Ballad of the Daltons* – 1976

     Song: “Les ballade des Dalton” sung by Eric Christy (Eric Kristy)

Lucky Luke: The Daltons on the Run* - 1982

Louisiana* – 1984

     Song: “Louisiana Waltz” sung by Dee Dee Bridgewater (Denise Garrett)

     Song: “Cotton Balls”, “Chasse a l’homme” sung by Baton Rouge Community Chorus

Lucky Luke* (TV) – 1984

     Song: “Poor Lonesome Cowboy” sung by Pat Woods

     Song: “Bang Bang Lucky Luke” sung by Jacques Cardona

*Available on CD and or LP