Biography
Born André Echkyan on 24 October 1907 in Meudon, France, the musician died on 9 August 1972 in Alicante, Spain. Without formal training he developed command of both clarinet and alto saxophone, achieving recognition in France by the early 1930s. Engagements in London with Jack Hylton formed part of a career that also yielded numerous recordings. His collaborators included Django Reinhardt, with sessions taking place in the late 1930s and again in 1950, as well as Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter. A reliable and assured instrumentalist, Ekyan helped establish swing-era jazz approaches in France and across other European territories.