French jazzman Eddy Louiss dies at 74

Eddy Louiss, a French jazzman who played with the Stan Getz quartet in the early 1970s, died Tuesday in hospital in central western France aged 74.

The Paris-born musician, who played the Hammond organ, had undergone two surgeries in recent days for a cataract, his son, Pierre Louiss, told AFP.

He did not survive a third surgery following a fall and passed away "peacefully, surrounded by family," Pierre Louiss said.

Eddy Louiss had his left leg amputated in the early 1990s after suffering artery problems and had made few public appearances in recent years, though he was still working on musical projects, his son said.

Born in Paris on May 2, 1941, Eddy Louiss got his start in his father's orchestra in the 1950s. His father had changed his last name from Louise.

In the 1960s, Eddy Louiss was part of a French vocal group of renown, the Double Six, and it was there he took up the organ.

His virtuoso playing earned him a slot with the Stan Getz quarter during a tour in 1971 and with other celebrated figures in jazz, including Claude Nougaro, a leading French musician with whom he played for 13 years, up to 1977.

After that he made the decision, one that his son described as "not that easy", to split from Nougaro to head out on a solo career.