About Maxim Saury
Lived 1928 – 2012 (aged 84). Maxim Saury was a French clarinetist and musician.
Maxim Saury (February 27, 1928 – November 15, 2012) was a French jazz clarinetist and bandleader.
Career The son of a violinist, Saury began playing violin the age of twelve. He switched to clarinet because he admired the playing of Hubert Rostaing. Shortly after World War II he began playing with Christian Azzi and Claude Bolling and briefly led a trio in 1949. In the 1950s he founded the New Orleans Sound, which included Jean-Claude Naude, and went on several tours worldwide. He played with Barney Bigard in the U.S. in the late 1960s and returned the U.S. twice in the 1970s. As a representative figure in French traditional jazz, he was frequently invited to play music, or the role of a musician, in film and television, including in Bonjour Tristesse, Young Sinners (Les Tricheurs), Mon oncle, and Adieu Philippine.
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Important facts
People in Maxim Saury's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Maxim Saury's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Maxim Saury?
French clarinetist and bandleader (1928–2012)
When was Maxim Saury born?
Maxim Saury was born on 27 February 1928 in Enghien-les-Bains.
When did Maxim Saury die?
Maxim Saury died on 15 November 2012 in Boulogne-Billancourt.
What was Maxim Saury's occupation?
Maxim Saury was a clarinetist and musician.
What nationality was Maxim Saury?
Maxim Saury was French.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Maxim Saury. https://biography.guide/maxim-saury/
MLA: "Maxim Saury." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/maxim-saury/.
Chicago: "Maxim Saury." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/maxim-saury/.
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