Noël Chiboust born 4 October, 1909

Noël Chiboust was born in Thorigny-sur-Marne, France, and was largely self-taught as a musician. He began his career as a violinist with Ray Ventura’s Collegians (1928 – 1931). After serving in the army he played with Freddy Johnson (1933), Michel Warlop (1934-5), Coleman Hawkins (1935), and Guy Paquinet (1934-6). In March 1936 he took part in the concert series la semaine à Paris organized by the Hot Club de France and the magazine Jazz Hot in the (later) Salle Pleyel. 

In 1936 he became a member of André Ekyan's orchestra and then he played in Philippe Brun's swing band. He was also involved in recordings by Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli. He abandoned the trumpet for the tenor saxophone in 1937, then played with Bill Coleman (1938) also appearing with Eddie Brunner at the Cabaret Bagatelle. He also played with Joe Keye’s Band and Serge Glykson (1939), Raymond Wraskoff  (1940) and Fred Adison’s Band. He switched to clarinet when he was a member of the Marcel Bianchi Orchestra. 

From 1940 he was himself a noted band leader and recorded some 78s under his own name for the French label Swing, making one of his most characteristic recordings “Serenade d’hiver” and “Le Sheik”. In the early 1940s he appeared with this formation on Parisian stages, e.g. with Hubert Rostaing. In 1946/47 he worked with his ensemble, which also included Jack Diéval and Lucien Simoën, at Club Schubert. From 1947 to 1950 he had an engagement at Cabaret le Drap d'Or. In 1952 he performed with his orchestra at the Palais D'Orsay.