Jef Gilson

Jef Gilson (1926-2012), born Jean-François Quiévreux in Guebwiller, was a French pianist, arranger, composer and big band leader. He trained on clarinet and turned to the piano after the war. His big band brought through many of the French modern and free jazz players of the 1960s, and he later founded the Palm label. Gilson first played clarinet with Claude Luter in Boris Vian's band. His big band included Bill Coleman, Bernard Vitet, Michel Portal, Jean-Luc Ponty and Henri Texier, and Woody Shaw and Nathan Davis played and recorded with it.