Christian Garros, drummer and conductor, was born in Paris on February 17, 1920 and died in Rouen on August 23, 1988. That year, “Le Monde” described him as “discreet but effective” to honor his abilities, a rare combination of musicality, delicacy and impeccable precision.

Christian Garros was a major influence, he played with many of the top French and international jazzmen, to name a few: Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, Martial Solal, Maurice Vander, André Persiany, Roger Guérin, Christian Chevallier, André Hodeir, Michel De Villers, Benny Carter, Lee Konitz and Bud Powell; radio sessions along with John Lewis, Milt Jackson and Percy Heath; studio work with Quincy Jones, Michel Legrand and Lalo Schifrin. Too many to list, that would be a who-is-who in jazz history.

With Guy Lafitte and Georges Arvanitas, he founded the Paris Jazz Trio. Often associated with bassist Pierre Michelot and pianist René Urtreger. Garros had become a backbone of European jazz concerts, from Lester Young to Miles Davis, whom he played with on their first trip to Europe in 1956, Christian Garros "did the trick", as they said in the trade. He was the one behind Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong in Martin Ritt's 1961 film 'Paris Blues.'

Along with Pierre Michelot, he was with Jacques Loussier from 1959 to 1978, playing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach in a jazz trio set. They have played concerts all over the world, having hugue success, selling thousands of records and being awarded with the Grand Prix of the Academy Charles Cros, and being honorary members of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute (USA).

After a very successful career, in 1977 he became a native of Normandy and founded, with the help of the community of Mont Saint Aignan, the School of Jazz Improvisation (EIJ), and formed the "Rouen Big Band" with mainly amateur musicians, whose fame went well beyond the local area.

Christian Garros has been elected as the top French drummer in jazz referendums by readers and musicians for several years.

—JazzDrummer Chris (excerpts taken from https://www.drumforum.org)