| Jack Sels | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 January 1922 Belgium |
| Died | 21 March 1970 (aged 48) Antwerp, Belgium |
| Nationality | Belgium |
| Occupation | saxophonist |
Jack Sels (29 January 1922 – 21 March 1970) was a Belgian jazz saxophonist active after World War II. Although he left only a few records, he was definitely an influential figure for the Belgian scene.
Sels grew up in Antwerp. He first studied piano before playing the saxophone.
After World War II he joined the band of Mickey Bunner. He played for the Red Cross and for the G.I.s. He appeared in various clubs, casinos, and hotels. In May 1946, the Mickey Bunner Band recorded "The 13th Port" on a 78 rpm record.
Sels heard the English band of Ted Heath, and started playing with musicians of the "new generation" including saxophonists Bobby Jaspar and Jacques Pelzer, guitarist René Thomas, bassists Benoît Quersin, Jean Warland and René Goldstein, trombonist Christian Kellens, pianist Francis Coppieters, Fats Sadi, Toots Thielemans. He appeared at the Knokke Jazz Festival in 1948.
Inspired by the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, Sels decided to form his own, for which he wrote music and arrangements. The band made an impressive debut with some of the best musicians around in 1949; a.o: Herman Sandy, Jay Cameron, Bobby Jaspar and Jean Warland, but financially it proved hard to keep such a large band together.
After hearing the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool sessions in 1951, he assembled a 15 piece band and toured Europe.
Back in Belgium, he again played the club and concert scene, a.o. supporting Nat King Cole or Mezz Mezzrow (1955). In 1954 and 1955, he recorded six sides for Ronnex Records, in a rather commercial "boogie" style.
In 1955, Sels wrote the soundtrack for the movie Meeuwen sterven in de haven, directed by Roland Verhavert.
In 1958, he played at the Brussels World Fair and recorded for Decca with Willy Rockin'. He appeared on the Decca LP Jazz in Little Belgium for two numbers. He recorded "Bongo Jazz" with Lucky Thompson and participated in the radio series of Levende Jazz (Living Jazz).
In 1959, Sels took an opportunity and jammed in Brussels with Lester Young and Max Roach.
In September 1961, he recorded "Sax Appeal" for the Relax label (Relax30004) with organ player Lou Bennet, the young Philip Catherine on guitar and Oliver Jackson on drums.
In 1963, financial difficulties forced him to work at the Antwerp harbour to unload boats.
The Belgian BRT radio started a series of concerts, for which producer Elias Gistelinck called Sels to write and play. A very successful series of Saxorama followed, in which a sax section was featured, an ensemble that became the core of the future BRT Jazz Orchestra.
His music has been played and recorded by a.o. Johnny Griffin and the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band.
The last three years of his life, his health unfortunately declined, making it very difficult for him to play.
He died on 21 March 1970, from a heart attack, in his Antwerp home.
Sels didn't record much. Most of the 78rpm and LPs are impossible to find.
The Belgian movie Just Friends (by Marc-Henri Wajnberg, 1993) was inspired by the unique figure of Sels.
In 2003 a play was staged in Belgium by Theater Antigone; het Jack Sels Project.