Sacha Distel is probably more famous internationally as a singer, and even an actor, than he is as a jazz guitarist. It was as a guitarist, however, that he made his first mark on the entertainment world. This all-instrumental compilation is a document of those beginnings, gathering 14 tracks that he recorded between late 1955 and late 1956 in a variety of settings. Just five of them were credited to
Distel; the remaining nine cuts include one with
the Lionel Hampton Paris All-Stars, a couple with
the Bobby Jaspar All Stars, and five as co-leader of the
John Lewis-
Sacha Distel Quintette. The mere fact that by his early twenties he was already playing with the likes of
Hampton and
Lewis is an indication of how highly regarded his talents on guitar were regarded by the jazz world. While there's no indication that the world lost a future
Wes Montgomery after
Distel switched his focus to pop vocals, these tracks alone are enough to establish his credibility as an instrumentalist in the straight jazz scene. For the most part, they're respectable straight-ahead pieces in the cool-bop-influenced style,
Distel taking smooth leads that show a debt to the work of
Charlie Christian. Be aware that on some numbers, the focus isn't wholly on
Distel, though this isn't such a bad thing if you're a general fan of jazz from the period, especially on the
Lewis cuts, where
Lewis' piano and contributions by esteemed sidemen such as drummers
Kenny Clarke and
Connie Kay are also prominent. Also be aware that there are no original
Distel compositions on this compilation, which includes material by
Lewis,
Thelonious Monk,
Billy Byers (who plays trombone on the tracks billed to
Distel alone),
Milt Jackson, and
Michel Legrand, as well as standards like "All the Things You Are" (heard in two versions) and "Willow Weep for Me."