It is sometime startling at the plethora of excellent pianists that got lost in the wake of the 1950s and 60s. It’s easy to understand, as modern jazz was losing its audience to a thing called rock and roll (as well as folk), and that combined with being a European almost guaranteed anonymity. Too bad, because Raymond Fol (1928-78) was an impressive pianist, having done stints with Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, and Stephan Grappelli, to name just a few. His touch gives hints of Bud Powell, John Lewis and Russ Freeman, and this two disc collection gives American ears a second chance to appreciate this Gallic wonder.
Most of the formats are in trio settings, and he shows impressive styling and swig on Miles Davis’ “Tune Up” and melodicism on John Lewis’ “Afternoon In Paris” He does a penetrating take of Duke Ellington’s “Melancholia” and bounces to Randy Weston’s “Little Niles”. His own material is clever and swing, such as “Ro-man-no” and a handful of “Unknown” pieces that feel spontaneous and fresh. There are also a few small group settings, as Fol more than holds his own with trumpeter Donald Byrd and Art Taylor/dr on a hard bopping “Hush” and sounding West Coast breezy with drummer Kenny Clarke and vocalist Annie Fratellini on “It Had To Be You”. Also intriguing is a septet concert of Fol’s own material, with trumpeters Roger Guerin, Maurice Thomas and Ivan Jullien trading off on muscular pieces like “Where Is Salvador” and a bold “Tristan” and stretching out on “Andox”. This guy had bebop in his bones!
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/raymond-fol-albums/56324-rediscovering-2-cd.html