Bernard Vitet (26 May 1934 – 3 July 2013) was a French trumpeter, multi-instrumentist[1] and composer, co-founder of the first free jazz band in France (1964)[2] together with François Tusques,[3] Michel Portal Unit (1972)[4] and Un Drame Musical Instantané with Jean-Jacques Birgé and Francis Gorgé in 1976.
[5] Born in Paris, France, Vitet was involved in the early fusion of jazz and contemporary music with Bernard Parmegiani and Jean-Louis Chautemps.
He played with jazz musicians such as Lester Young, Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, the Art Ensemble of Chicago,[12] Steve Lacy, Gato Barbieri, Jean-Luc Ponty,[13] and Martial Solal.
),[14] La Guêpe on texts by Francis Ponge,[15] Mehr Licht!,[16] and about 200 other records with the aforementioned, plus Jean-Claude Fohrenbach, Georges Arvanitas,[17] Sunny Murray,[18] Michel Pascal,[19] Alan Silva,[20] Alexander von Schlippenbach,[21] Hubert Rostaing, Alix Combelle, Ivan Jullien,[22] Christian Chevalier, Jef Gilson,[23] Jack Diéval,[24] Jac Berrocal,[25] Hélène Sage[26] and 17 albums with Un drame musical instantané.
[29] Vitet invented instruments such as a reed trumpet, a multiphonic French horn, a variable tension double-bass, the dragoon which is a giant balafon with frying pans and flower pots keyboard, a clever system of modal clocks, and astonishing musical objects for Georges Aperghis, Tamia, and Françoise Achard.