Christian Escoudé
1947–2024 (age 77)
Biography
Christian Escoudé (23 September 1947 – 13 May 2024) was a French Gypsy jazz guitarist.
Escoudé grew up in Angoulême and was of Romani descent on his father's side. His father was also a guitarist who was influenced by Django Reinhardt. When Escoudé was ten, his father began teaching him the guitar, and he became a professional musician at age fifteen. His style was a mix of bebop and gypsy jazz influences, featuring the use of vibrato, portamento, and fast runs.
In 1972, he started work in a trio with Aldo Romano. By the 1980s, he was in John Lewis's quartet. He also played with Philip Catherine for a time. In his forties, he signed with the French division of Verve Records.