Pierre Merlin (1918 – 2000) was a French artist and jazz musician known for designing the cover art of over 150 albums.[1]
Merlin was born in Bordeaux in 1918.[2] He studied at the École Municipale des Beaux Arts before receiving a scholarship to study fine art in Paris in 1942. It was there that Merlin began performing New Orleans style jazz eventually playing with Claude Luter and Sidney Bechet.[3][4] Merlin alternated between the cornet and the trumpet.[4]
In the 1940s, Merlin did graphic design work for Hot Club de France.[4] His first sketches of jazz musicians were done at the 1948 Festival of Nice.[4] From 1950 to 1953 Merlin worked designing the album art work for the Vogue and Swing record labels.[4] The record labels would give Merlin very little information about the album he was working on. This was often just the title of the record, song title and photographs.[3] His work was influenced by the designer David Stone Martin.[4]
He died in Paris in 2000.[2]
With High Society Jazz Band:
With Claude Luter: