Andre Condouant was a jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger. He was born in Guadeloupe (French West Indies), September 6, 1935. In Guadeloupe, he began his career as a double-bassist and drummer with local orchestras such as the BRUNEL AVENNE ORCHESTRA(EL CALDERON), EL CALZADO, and the ROBERT MAVUNZY ORCHESTRA. He toured throughout Indonesia with the latter. He moved to Paris in 1957 and began his first gig as a bass player with the ALBERT LIVAT ORCHESTRA. There he met American musicians such as BART TAYLOR, ERROLL GARNNER, and was soon able to enter the world of Jazz. He switched from the bass to the guitar during their engagement at ‘Crazy Horse Saloon. Andre traveled through Africa in 1959 with AL LIRVAT, and again with BENNY BENNETT’s Latin dance-orchestra. He also toured through Tunisia. He returned to Paris in 1960 with ROBERT MAVOUNZY, and AL LIRVAT. They played at the ‘Olympia’ in JOSEPHINE BAER’s revue, ‘Paris Mes Amour. Andre traveled to Stockholm in 1962 with GERARD LAVIGNNY. There he met IDREES SULIEMAN (former flutist, saxophonist for Dizzy Gillespie) and LEO WRIGHT. Leo invited him to join his band on a tour of Czechoslovakia, where he played at the first Jazz-Festival Prague in 1964. Andre toured Europe in the LEO WRIGHT QUARTET, and the LOU BENNETT TIO from Berlin. He performed with SLIDE HAMPTON, ART TAYLOR at the Barcelona Jazz Festival in 1970. He also performed with JOHN LEE HOOKER, MEMPHIS SLIM and ROOSEVELT SKES. He toured Canada in 1970 with MARIUS CULTIER shortly after recording his first solo album, ‘Brother Meeting’. There he met FREDDIE HUBBARD. He returned to Paris in 1978 after a longer stay in Montreal, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, where he performed concerts with RHODA SOTT. Andre was a member of the ANDRE CONDOUANT QUARTET from 1979 to 1984. It featured: ALAIN JEANMARIE, GEORGE Brown, and ALBY CULLAZ. They performed in Paris clubs and throughout France. Andre performed at many Jazz Festivals in West Indies over the following years (with AL LIRVAT and FREDDIE HUBARD) and also played concerts. He performed at the ‘Petit Opportun’ in Paris, and at the La Cave on First’ in New York City between 1992 and 1994. Andre recorded and performed with many musicians, including Gospel, Blues, and Bebop. While he was a sideman on many recordings, he was notably a guitarist with singer ANNIE ROSS and saxophonist PONY POINDEXTER. But his first album earned him the respect of Jazz stars in France. His recordings showcase a variety of styles, including jazz on his debut album “Brother Meeting” and on the album “Andre Condouant Quartet”, as well as funky tunes on “Happy Funk”. He has returned to his roots by drawing inspiration from Caribbean sounds such as Biguine and Bolero, Bolero, Calypso, Bolero, Bolero, and Bolero for the albums Thanks For All’, ‘Banana Zook,’ and Thanks For All. He returned to classical Jazz with his 1997 album, ‘Clean and Class’. It was recorded with pianist ALAIN JEANMARIE. His most recent album, entitled Gospel Swing,’ was recorded in 2002 for a local church. It features JOCELYN MENARD (sax), on two tracks. He was instrumental in the arrangements of IBO SIMON for Disque Celiny Andre and directed the orchestra on SIMONE PAULIN’s first album. His compositions have been recorded by many other musicians (not just Jazz-), such as AL LIRVAT, TANYA SAINTVAL and Caribbean singers KLOD FOSTIN. Andre received the SACEM special composition award at the 1985 International Guitar Festival in Martinique.
