Jacques Di Donato

{{short description|French musician and improviser|bot=PearBOT 5}}

Jacques Di Donato (born 27 August 1942) is a French musician and improviser. A clarinetist, saxophonist and drummer, he works in various fields ranging from jazz to contemporary music, classical music and improvised music. He was a clarinet teacher at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Lyon between 1984 and 2007.

Biography

Born in Bourg-en-Bresse, Di Donato discovered music at the age of twelve, when he began playing in his father's ball orchestra. He later discovered the saxophone, then the clarinet, which became his instrument of choice.

He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris where he obtained his first prizes in clarinet and chamber music.

He has made numerous collaborations with artists such as Louis Sclavis, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Lubat, among many others.

He appeared as soloist in various orchestras, notably with the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France from 1978 to 1990.

Leader of several ensembles (including "Trio de clarinettes",{{Cite web |url=https://www.musiques-en-vercors.fr/festival-musique/artistes-academie-musicale/ensemble-trio-de-clarinettes-artistes-festival |title=Le Trio de Clarinettes |access-date=2018-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713141249/https://www.musiques-en-vercors.fr/festival-musique/artistes-academie-musicale/ensemble-trio-de-clarinettes-artistes-festival |archive-date=2018-07-13 |url-status=dead }} Jacques Di Donato Quintet, the "Mhère Quartet", the "Système Friche",[https://www.francemusique.fr/emissions/a-l-improviste/l-orchestre-systeme-friche-de-jacques-di-donato-et-xavier-charles-en-concert-a-radio-france-62994 "Système Friche"] on France Musique and "Brahmâ"), he created and directed the festival "Fruits de Mhère, Les Champs de l'Improvisation", dedicated to avant-garde music and experimental arts in general. He was a member of the Saxophone quartet, with Jean-Louis Chautemps.

In 1998, he designed the B♭ clarinet model and the Signature for the Henri Selmer Paris instrument maker.

== Awards ==

Di Donato was made a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1985.

Albums

1982: Mad Sax II, "Quatuor de saxophones", CY Records – 733613 WE 341
1991: Trio de clarinettes Live, Jacques Di Donato, Louis Sclavis, Armand Angster, FMP
1993: Clic!!!, Jacques Di Donato Quintet, Pan Music
1993: Green dolphy suite, Double trio, Enja Records
1995: Déblocage d'émergence, {{ill|Michel Edelin|fr}} quartet, AA Records
1996: Le Système Friche, Xavier Charles, Jacques Di Donato, In Situ
1996: Du Slavon Glagol, Khokhot
1999: La Compagnie des Musiques à Ouïr,[https://www.theatreonline.com/Spectacle/La-compagnie-des-musiques-a-ouir/498 La Compagnie des Musiques à Ouïr] la Lichère- Frémeaux associés
2007: Les p’tites chansons de Marc Perrone, {{ill|Marc Peronne|fr}}, Rue Bleue Productions
2010: Images et Personnages, Gael Mevel quintet,[https://www.allmusic.com/album/la-promesse-du-chant-mw0001285826 Gael Mevel quintet] (AllMusic) Leo Records
2011: Brahmâ, Brahmâ Trio
2012: Resurgence, Michel Edelin quartet, RogueArt

References

External links

[http://www.jacquesdidonato.com/ Official website]
[http://transmediadoc.free.fr/didonato.html Interview de Jacques Di Donato par Jacme Gaudàs pour JazzHot, 1998]
[https://www.selmer.fr/musicfiche.php?id=146&LANGUE=fr Biography of Jacques Di Donato on Henri Selmer website- Paris]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUA0kuUjhSQ Via Nova Quartet- Jacques Di Donato clarinet] (YouTube)

Category:French experimental musicians

Category:Free improvisation clarinetists

Category:Free improvisation saxophonists

Category:20th-century French composers

Category:French jazz saxophonists

Category:French male saxophonists

Category:French jazz clarinetists

Category:French classical clarinetists

Category:French jazz drummers

Category:French male drummers

Category:1942 births

Category:Living people