“Fats” Sadi Pol Lallemand, was born in Andenne, Belgium, October 23, 1927. He chose the name “Sadi” because he disliked his last name, which means “the German” in French. From the age of 10 he presented a xylophone act as an attraction in circuses and in music halls.

He fell in love with the swing music of Louis Armstrong in his early teens and, after hearing Lionel Hampton, switched to the vibraphone. Due to his technique and modern approach, Sadi was the quintessential European vibraphonist of the 50s. In his beginnings, his style was indebted to Hampton, but as he assimilated the irresistible and evolving influence of Milt Jackson, his music became a true reflection of himself, generous and overflowing with swing.

Upon his arrival in Paris in 1951, Sadi had a hard time finding gigs as a jazzman. There were too many musicians chasing too fewj obs and at first he had to work in all kinds of orchestras. From 1953 he joined forces with Bobby Jaspar and grew musically, playing and recording alongside him as a sideman and as a leader while surrounded by the best musicians on the Parisian scene.

In 1954, he put together an eight-piece combo that recorded an album of wellcrafted arrangements firmly rooted in the West Coast sound performed with a precision rarely heard in mainland jazz groups at the time. As the years passed, Sadi continued to develop his style and conception, establishing himself as an impressive and forceful soloist who was capable of sustaining the mood of the tunes with depth and freshness in both wailers and ballads.

In the late 50s and early 60s, he was working and recording in Germany and Belgium and he was chosen to integrate the European All-Stars of 1961. That year, at the end of the golden age of jazz in Paris, a period began in which more and more jazz players had to become musicians in variety orchestras. Then Sadi, after eleven years of intense activity in Paris, decided to return to Belgium.

At the end of 1962, the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland big band augmented its rhythm section with Sadi on bongos. In August 1964, Sadi played at the Blue Note in Paris, with Clarke/Boland Sextet. In early June 1968, in Cologne, Sadi recorded the Sahib Shihab Quintet album 'Seeds.' Just a couple of days later he joined the small combo led by clarinetist Silvio Francesco Valente, her brother who accompanied singer Caterina Valente on her American tour.

His restless character, his versatility, as well as some disappointments, caused him to move away from the jazz scene at times. Over the years he managed to successfully alternate his jazz performances and recordings with commitments to commercial orchestras, which brought him greater financial benefits. Although he never got away from jazz, his true calling and passion as amusician.

In 1969, he planned to put on his own television show, an American-style show. RTB only produced four shows from 1969 to 1974. During this period he recorded in Germany with Lucky Thompson in March 1969, and with Stan Getz in 1971, and also three commercial albums in Brussels as a leader. Then he was hired by BRT-TV, as a member of the Etienne Verschueren orchestra, where he stayed for several years, as an instrumentalist and as arranger.

In 1976, in Cologne, he recorded with the Francy Boland Orchestra. At the same time whenever he could, he kept his quartet active with pianist Tony Bauwens, changing bass and drummer for every occasion. Finally discouraged by the little interest that jazz aroused, the music that he really liked, and affected by the death of his wife, he decided to retire from the scene.

He received a Djangod'or in 1996 and was named European Vibraphonist of the Year in 1998, during a referendum organized by the Belgian radio stations RTBF and VRT.

Fats Sadi passed away on february 20, 2009.

—Jordi Pujol (Excerps from the inside liner notes of FSRCD 1123)