Percy France

France gained particular recognition during the 1950s and early 1960s as a sideman for Jimmy Smith, Freddie Roach and Bill Doggett[1] and was considered by his contemporary, Sonny Rollins, as "one of the tenor players that I had to compete with when I was making my reputation as a young saxophonist.

"[1] After leaving Bill Doggett's group France began a brief association with Blue Note Records, featuring on sessions including Jimmy Smith's Home Cookin' album[7] and Down to Earth by Freddie Roach.

[2] France toured Europe in the winter of 1982 and 1983 with the Oliver Jackson Trio, and the group recorded an album for the French Black & Blue label in September 1982.

[14] In 1988, at the recommendation of jazz disc jockey and historian Phil Schaap, France was hired by Simon & Schuster to improvise saxophone interludes for a series of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer books-on-tape which were narrated by Stacy Keach.

[5] with Betti Mays And Her Swingtet with The "5" Royales with Bill Doggett with Sir Charles Thompson with Jimmy Smith with Freddie Roach with Oliver Jackson with Lance Hayward