Henri Renaud

Henri Renaud (20 April 1925, in Villedieu-sur-Indre, France – 17 October 2002, in Paris)[1] was a French jazz pianist, record producer, and record company executive.[2]

His styles reflected the decades when he was musically active: he played in the swing, bebop and cool styles. He developed a reputation internationally when he served as an ensemble-organizing point-man for visiting jazz performers from the United States.[3]

Renaud moved to Paris in 1946 and established a career as a jazz pianist.[2] He joined tenor-saxophonist Jean-Claude Fohrenbach's combo. During 1949 and 1950, he accompanied Don Byas, James Moody, and Roy Eldridge.[2] In 1952, he performed with Lester Young, Sarah Vaughan, and Clifford Brown.[3] Brown made several recordings with Renaud. In 1954, Renaud visited the United States, where he recorded.[3] He made recordings with Milt Jackson, J. J. Johnson, Al Cohn, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, Frank Foster, and Bob Brookmeyer.[2]

Upon becoming an executive for French CBS' jazz division in 1964,[2] he largely stopped his activity as a professional jazz pianist,[3] but did occasional work as a film composer.