Pierre Michelot

Who was Pierre Michelot?

Pierre Michelot was a French bebop and hard bop double bass player.

Born in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Paris, Michelot studied piano from 1936 until 1938, but switched to playing bass at the age of sixteen. Through his career he played with Rex Stewart, Coleman Hawkins, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, Don Byas, Thelonious Monk, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Bud Powell, Zoot Sims, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and many others.

Michelot was a member of the Jacques Loussier Trio, known for the Play Bach album series. Together with Miles Davis, he was responsible for the critically acclaimed soundtrack of Louis Malle's Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. He also appeared as an unnamed bass player in the movie Round Midnight.

In later life, Michelot suffered from Alzheimer's disease.