Jack SELS was a great Belgian jazz saxophonist after World War II. He left few records but was an important figure in the Belgian jazz scene. Jack SELS was born in Antwerp on January 29, 1922. First he studied piano and then he began playing the saxophone. He opens an ice cream shop and works on boats to make a living. He hears the latest albums by Lester YOUNG and Dizzy GILLESPIE as well as Charlie PARKER and Miles DAVIS. His excellent command of English makes it possible for him to contact the U.S. soldiers in Antwerp at the end of World War II. It was a great way to obtain the jazz records that he was interested in. He joins the band Mickey BUNNER with Roger ASSELBERGHS as schoolbuddies. He plays for Red Cross and for the G.I.’s. He has appeared in many clubs, casinos, and hotels. The Mickey BUNNER Band records “the thirteenth port” in May 46 on a 78. Jack SELS is introduced to Ted HEATH’s English band and begins playing with them. In 1948, he appears at the Knokke Jazz Festival. Jack SELS is inspired by the Dizzy GILLESPIE big band that visited Antwerp in 1948. He also writes music for it. The band debuts with some of the most talented players in 1949: Trumpets – Paul HEYNDRICKX and Charlie KNEGTEL; Trombones – Nat PECK, Frans VAN DIJK and Jan MERTENS; Trombones – Gene VERSTREPEN and Bobby JASPAR; Saxophones — Jay CAMERON and Marcel PEETERS; Saxes – Jay CAMERON and Marcel PEETERS; Saxes — Jay CAMEROPET (congas), Rudy FRANKEL and Bill VILEZ It is difficult to keep a band this large together. financially. After listening to the Miles DAVIS Capitol sessions, he travels in 1951 for a fifteen piece band : Trumpets – Charlie KNETGEL (boe) and Herman SANDY (trombone); Francy BOLAND (mellophone). ); Saxophones : Andre COEL and Alex SCORIER, Roger ASSELBERGH and Francois VAN BOGAERT (oboe), Jerome DE MEIRLEIR, Hubert VENNESOEN, cello, and Rudy FRANKEL. His small group includes Nick FISSETTE, Jay CAMERON (alto sax), Christian KELLENS(tb), Herman SANDY (tp), Rudy FRANKEL and Benoit QUERSIN. They open for Dizzy GILLESPIE at Brussels in March ’52. At different times, the band included: Etienne VERSCHUEREN(alto sax), Roger VANHAVERBEKE (“b”), Willy ALBIMOOR (“p”), Etienne VERSCHUEREN (“alto sax”), Roger VANHAVERBEKE (“b”) and Cees SEE („drs.NL”). He is back in Belgium and plays in the club and concert scene. opposite Nat King COLE or Mezz MEZZROW (’55). He records six sides for Ronnex Records in ’54-’55. They do it in a very commercial “boogie” sound. Jack SELS composes the soundtrack to the film “Meeuwen sterven im haen” (directed Roland VERHAVERT). He performs at the Brussels World Fair in ’58 with his band (with Christian KELLENS). He records for Decca with Willy ROCKIN (a.o. Jean WARLAND, Jean FANIS, Rudy FRANKEL, Charlie KNEGTEL. He signs arrangements and compositions. Two numbers are included on his Decca LP, “Jazz in Little Belgium”. Lucky THOMPSON records “Bongo Jazz”, and he also participates in NIR’s radio series “Levende Jazz” (Live Jazz), along with Jean FANIS, Roger VAN HAVERBEKE, Rudy FRANKEL (b), and Freddy ROTTIER (drs). Also, Al JONES plays with many U.S. soloists. Jack SELS gets the chance to jam in Brussels with Max ROACH and Lester YOUNG in ’59. He records “ORIGINAL STUDIA RECORDING” in September 1961 (LP/ IBC4C054-97754) together with Lou BENNETT, an organ player (who in the original release was given the nickname “Goliath”), the young Philip CATHERINE and Oliver JACKSON (drs). His financial problems force him to work in Antwerp harbour to load …!boats. Marc-Henri WAJNBERG’s 1993 Belgian film “Just Friends”, with music by Michel HERR and Archie Shepp, is purely fiction. However, it was clearly inspired by Jack SELS. The BRT radio also starts a series concerts. Elias GISTELINCK, producer, calls Jack to play and write. The series of “Saxorama”, which is a very popular one, continues with a sax section, which will be the foundation of the future BRT Jazz Orchestra. There are 19 tracks from those concerts on 2 LPs (on the Vogel label) He still plays concerts in schools for children as an introduction to jazz with Juul ANTHOONISSEN in 1963. Jack SELS played with many American musicians, among others. Milt BUCKNER is a pianist. Many compositions and arrangements were written for large and small bands and even two symphonies. His music has been recorded and played a.o. Johnny GRIFFIN and the CLARKEBOLAND Big Band to name a few. Five symphonies were also written by him, all influenced by jazz. His health declined over the last three years of his career, making it difficult for him to continue playing. On March 21, 1970, he died from a heart attack in his Antwerp residence (located in Hoogstraat). Jack SELS did not record much. It is difficult to find most of the 78rpm and vinyl LPs. Some rumors suggest that CD reissues may be possible. Let’s take for example 2 LPs from the Belgian “Vogel”, “The Complete Jack Sels vol. 1
