Multi-instrumentalist (clarinets, saxophones, bandoneon, etc.) and composer Michel Portal can be considered the father of the French modern jazz scene.
Classically trained, Portal gained renown through his association with various modern and contemporary music composers. His performance as the featured soloist on Pierre Boulez's Domaines remains a highlight of his career. However, this exceptional musician also had a serious interest in folk music and jazz. In the late '60s, he initiated the free jazz movement in France with François Tusques, Bernard Vitet, and Sunny Murray. ...