Matelo Ferret


Jean Pierre "Matelo" Ferret was a French musette and gypsy jazz guitarist and composer. He was an associate of Django Reinhardt and the youngest brother of guitarists Baro and Sarane Ferret. He recorded with his own sextet in Paris in the 1940s and continued performing there, with occasional recording sessions, until his death in 1989. He was noted for a musical style that incorporated Russian and Hungarian influences and lived long enough to see a resurgence of interest in gypsy jazz in which he was recognised as one of the great surviving players of the genre. Two of his sons, Boulou and Elios Ferré, continue to play a more modern and individualistic form of gypsy jazz-based guitar music in Paris.

Biography

Born into a Romani family, Matelo Ferret was the youngest of the three brothers from Rouen, France who made their way to Paris and there made the acquaintance of Django Reinhardt in 1931. He was known by his French nickname "Matelo," which meant "sailor". He replaced guitarist Gusti Malha alongside accordionist Émile Vacher and later played with Guérino, another well known accordionist.
From 1931, the Ferret brothers Matelo, Baro and Étienne "Sarane" Ferret, and cousin René "Challain" Ferret, were favored sidemen of Reinhardt. At that time, Django and his companions frequently played at the Russian cabarets in Paris, notably the Casanova and the Shéhérazade and, while Django moved away into a more jazz direction for the major part of his career, Ferret spent much of his subsequent time in the Russian cabarets and developed a unique guitar style incorporating many Russian and Romanian Romani elements as well as musette-style waltzes and jazz.
After recording as a sideman on various sessions in the 1930s and early 40s, his first sessions under his own name were cut in 1944 ; he recorded sporadically through the 1950s and 1960s and summed up his life's work with the 2-LP set Tziganskaïa recorded for Charles Delaunay in 1978 on which he was accompanied by his son Boulou on rhythm guitar, along with cimbalom and double bass.
Ferret died of cancer on 24 January 1989, aged 70, a contemporary of Django who survived long enough to see the revival of interest in gypsy jazz and related music and to leave several modern filmed performances. Two of his sons Boulou and Elios Ferré continue to perform. A third son, Michel "Sarane" Ferré, has also performed and recorded with his father.

Partial discography

On 78 RPM discs:
  • 1938 Gus Viseur's Music - sessions rec. Paris, September 28 and October 20, 1938
  • 1938 Albert Ferreri & Le Trio Ferret - session rec. Paris, October 20, 1938
  • 1939 Le Trio Ferret - session rec. Paris, March 2, 1939
  • 1940 Gus Viseur et son Orchestre - session rec. Paris, August 9, 1940
  • 1941 Sarane Ferret et le Swing Quintette de Paris - sessions rec. Paris, May and June, 1941
  • 1942 Sarane Ferret et le Swing Quintette de Paris with Georges Effrosse - sessions rec. Paris, ?? and October, 1942
  • 1942 André Ekyan et son Orchestre - session rec. Paris, July 22, 1942
  • 1943 Matelo Ferret: Jean Ferret et son Sixtette - session rec. Paris, December 15, 1943
On EP & LP :
  • 1951 Jean "Matelot" Ferret: Diner en Musique
  • 1954 as "Pierre-Jean Ferret et son Orchestre" on Various Artists: "Votre Dîner en Musique" Columbia 33 FSX 105
  • 195x as "Pierre Ferret et son Orchestre" on Various Artists: "Super Festival Dancing No. 14" Columbia 33 FSX 108 ?= "Surprise-Partie No. 14" FLD 121
  • 195x as "Pierre Ferret et son Orchestre" on Various Artists: "Votre Thé en Musique" Columbia 33 FSX 108
  • 1955 Matelo Ferret et son Quartette: Musique Pour Deux no. 14
  • 1955 on Robert Ripa et sa Guitare: Chansons Grises, Chansons Roses Disques Vogue EPL 7136
  • 1956 on Robert Ripa: Robert Ripa chante "Le Bidon" du Film "Il Bidone" et "le petit bistrot de papa" Disques Vogue EPL 7252
  • 1960 Matelo Ferret: Jean "Matelot" Ferret et sa Guitare Joue les Inédits de Django Reinhardt Vogue EPL 7740 with Jacques Montagne and Sarane Ferret, guitars
  • 1961 Matelo Ferret: Jean "Matelot" Ferret et sa Guitare Joue les Inédits de Django Reinhardt Vogue EPL 7829
  • 1961 on Marfisa: Chants de Corse BIEM 424.253
  • 1962 on Robert Ripa: Fanny Ricordi 45 S 235
  • 1962 on Jean Ferrat: Les Nomades Decca 451.160
  • 1965 Matelo Ferret : Marta with Michel Terrioux, vibraphone; Laro Sollero, guitar; Michel Gaudry, double bass; Andy Arpino, drums
  • 1965 on Pierre "Baro" Ferret: Swing Valses d'Hier et d'Aujourd'hui - Pierre "Baro" Ferret, guitar with Jacques Montagne and Matelo Ferret, guitars + others
  • 1967 on Various artists: Manouche Partie - rec. 1960 and 1966
  • 1967 on Antoine Ciosi: Le Prisonnier Consul C.M 2081
  • 19?? on Jo Privat with Matelot Ferret & Sarane Ferré Jr: Dansez sur les Plus Belles Chansons du Monde Discodis AZ FL 85.016/017
  • 19?? on Various Artists: Super Festival Dancing No. 14 Columbia 33 FSX 108
  • 1970 on Various artists: La Nuit des Gitans à l'Olympia de Paris - 1970
  • 1971 on Gus Viseur: Swing Accordéon Vogue SMDINT 9928
  • 1979 Matelo Ferret : Tziganskaïa
  • 1988 Matelo Ferret: Tziganskaïa and Other Rare Recordings Hot Club Records HCRCD 46
  • 1989 Sarane & Matelo Ferret: Tribute to Django INA FC 124
  • 2002 on Various Artists: Gipsy Jazz School - Django's Legacy Iris Music 3001 845
  • 20?? on Various Artists: Jazz Archives No. 144: Jazz Gitan 1939/1943 EPM Musique 159472
  • 2007 on Various Artists: Gypsy Jazz Properbox 128
  • 2009 Les Frères Ferret : Les Gitans De Paris 1938-1956 Frémeaux & Associés FA 5247
  • 2011 on Various Artists: Le Coffret Jazz Manouche Wagram 3243392
  • 2014 as Matelo Ferré: Rare Recordings Hot Club Records HCR 352

Film appearances

  • 1959 Hommage a Django Reinhardt, dir. Jean-Christophe Averty