He also took lessons in violin and clarinet in his teens and early twenties.
As a saxophonist, he worked with Claude Abadie and Boris Vian and co-founded the "Be Bop Minstrels" with his brother in 1947.
The group's first visit to the studios took place on 4 July; the session resulted in the first bebop sides recorded in France.
He became one of the most capable French bebop players, and such visiting musicians as Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas and Dizzy himself, in addition to Rex Stewart, John Lewis, Kenny Clarke, James Moody, and Jimmy Raney, enjoyed playing with him.
[1] In 1949–50, he toured Europe and recorded with Coleman Hawkins, then worked with Kenny Clarke and Django Reinhardt before embarking on another European tour with Dizzy Gillespie and Rex Stewart.