Serge Gainsbourg - "Du Jazz Dans Le Ravin" CD, Compilation, Remastered, 1996 (Mercury)

In the year 1996, Philips/Mercury organized a series of releases focusing on a specific time and music style of Serge Gainsbourg.   For me, it was my first real introduction to Gainsbourg's music and his world.   So, for the last 21 years, I have been obsessing about this man's music, which led me to publish a full biography of Serge as well as releasing a fictional work by him as well, with my press TamTam Books.   

"du jazz dans le ravin" is a collection of Gainsbourg's early recordings, that are mostly jazz-based, but still in a pop song format.  Lyrically, he was on the button of greatness.  Like most English speaking people I sort of knew Gainsbourg through his recordings with Brigitte Bardot and of course, Jane Birkin.  Beyond that, I knew very little till I bought this CD compilation.   Compared to his pop and Latin-based pop music, I love his jazz period.  At this time, he was singing in a croon, that conveyed wickedness and someone who can give great advice.   The music is very seductive,  but not always in the physical, sexual sense.  He was a writer that could convey a world and make it into a "Gainsbourgian" landscape, and us listeners are just passing through the neighborhood.  

His partner-in-crime was the great arranger/songwriter/jazz player Alain Goraguer.  Gainsbourg throughout his career depended on these sort of musical characters, and Goraguer was the jazz guy for him.   It's either Goraguer's jazz arrangements or the great recordings with electric guitarist Elek Bacsik and double bass player Michel Gaudry.  A Minimal arrangement with Gainsbourg's voice floating over these two instruments.  Yet, the songs are incredible. "Chez Les Yé-Yé" and others are Serge's most excellent commentary on the Paris world at that time (the late 1950s/early 1960s).  

Often I'm overwhelmed when someone asks me what's the entrance to Serge Gainsbourg's music.  For me, I'm one of those who gets one,  I must have everything.   To properly understand his work, you have to dive in with head and body - and head first!

Various - "Les Zazous: 1940 - 1945" 2 x vinyl, LP, Compilation, 1977 (Pathé Marconi)

Truly a dangerous underground movement of swing kids during the French Occupation from 1940 to 1944.  The Vichy Administration didn't look upon these French kids with a great deal of love. Musically it's all swing jazz, but the nerve behind their swing dancing and partying in the horrible world of the Occupation is one of wonder and the beauty of youth itself. 

Les Zazous were hardcore dance and fashion lunatics who pretty much ignored the Occupation like it didn't exist, but of course, it did dangerously.  When Jews were forced to wear the Yellow Star, so did Les Zazous, but they did it voluntarily, and within the yellow star it said "Swing."  The men dressed in long draped jackets, zootsuit pants, but the cuff rolled up, and hair was worn very long but combed back in Rockabilly (before that) style. Often they dine at Vegetarian restaurants.  Also, they like to carry around umbrellas that are rolled up and never been used.   They were fond of carrying newspapers or books in the English language.  Not to read but as a fashion statement.   This you can imagine was an easy target for the Vichy cops as well as the Fascist thugs.   Often when caught they were either killed or forced to get a haircut, which must have been horrible for a dandy like-minded Zazous. 

They would have secret record parties where they danced to American (banned of course) and French jazz music.  These are club kids with an edge.  "Les Zazous" is an album of music made at the time of the occupation, and what I presume was favored by the Les Zazous.   The famous names for Americans are Charles Trenet and Django Reinhardt.  The rest are known in  France, such as Michel Legrand's dad Raymond, who had a famous orchestra at the time, Gus Viseur (gypsy accordionist), Jacques Pills (ain't that a punk rock name), and others.   Some of the songs do have the word "zazous"  The word more likely came from American genius musician Cab Calloway, from his song "Zah Zuh Zah."

This double album came out in 1977, and to this day, there are not a lot of photographs of Les Zazous.  The images that are in the record are all drawings from that period.   A snapshot of a time that was horrible, yet the music is upbeat, happy, and looking forward to better days.  The spirit of music cannot be crushed that easily. 

Michel Legrand & Emil Stern - "Twenty Moods for Pianos" Vinyl, LP, Album,

In one word to describe this album: charm.  There is something about Michel Legrand that rings out all the ugly emotion within me and turn it all into pure bliss.  Hearing his music throughout the years just makes me happy.  I love his soundtrack work (especially with the legendary Jacques Demy), pop songs, elevator music, and his jazz playing with such as Miles Davis.  Even his vocals are fantastic, and the album he did with Jack Jones, superb! 

The beauty of Michel Legrand is that he masters all sorts of music, yet, he remains French sounding.  Even his recordings with American Be-Bop legendary greats sounds like a French man playing with the dudes from New York City - and yet, it's incredible.  And then on top of that, he did a whole album of just him playing on the piano, Erik Satie music.   What is there not to like about him?  Here he teams up with another French pianist/musician Emil Stern.  There are 20 songs on this album that goes by quickly and incredibly enjoyable.  Backed by a stand-up bass and drums, this is a dynamic adventure into the Left as well as the Right Bank of Paris culture.  There are songs by Gilbert Becaud, and oddly enough Eddie Constantine, who was the leading actor in Godard's "Alphaville."  He was an American who somehow got himself in France and became a massive European star.  I knew he sang (they all do you know) but he also wrote two pieces on this album.  There's also a pair of Cole Porter songs -of course, dealing with Pariee.   

As mentioned, like all of Legrand's work, there is a charm to its music or performance. It's not a sickly cute charm, but one of great character and Legrand strikes me as a professional and artist who always gives his best.  So yeah, in essence, this is music to have a drink to before dinner.  The only darkness on this album is the color of the vinyl.   A great find for me at Rockaway Records a few years ago.  Researching this record, it came from South Africa, but not sure of its release date.  I guess that the release date is in the early 50s before Legrand really got huge.  His dad was a very successful orchestrational leader, and his sister, Christiane Legrand is a God-given talent as a singer.  A great family that's full of beautiful music.  I'm happy. 

André Hodeir - "L'écume des jours" OST, 45 rpm Vinyl Single, France, 1968 (Philips)

André Hodeir is a fascinating figure in French Jazz.  Think of him as sort of a more adventuresome Gil Evans.  Musician, composer, arranger, and author.  He wrote numerous books on Jazz aesthetics that were published by Grove Books in the 1960s.  Hodeir is also a challenging artist to find record wise.  Even in Paris I had trouble locating his works, but now, with the internet, it's a tad easier, but not a whole lot of recordings are readily available.   One of the hard finds for me, is this record, the soundtrack to Charles Belmont's French film "L'écume des jours."  It's based on a fantastic Boris Vian novel ("Foam of the Daze" which I published through my press TamTam Books).   

Header uses jazz as a foundation, but he also had an interest in Musique Concréte practices as well.  "L'écume des jours" in parts, is almost electronic in that he processes the children's vocals into a hypnotic and haunting sound.   There is nothing on this French EP that is predictable. Incredibly melodic in parts, but also obsessed with the sound process as well.  Hodeir was a genius and very worth while to locate his recordings.  I think I have most of his work in my collection, as well as a huge Boris Vian presence in my sound and book library.  

"Henri Salvador Alias Henry Cording and his Original Rock and Roll Boys" CD, Album, France, 2002/1956 (Philips)

The first French Rock n' Roll and it may have been a joke, but alas, it does rock.  Henri Salvador is a jewel in the French music world.  Entertainer, incredible jazz guitarist, songwriter, and humorist.  Also a great pal of Boris Vian, who signed him to Philips, in his later career as an A&R man for a record label, after a career in writing, translating, singing, songwriting, and of course, engineer.  Vian and Salvador wrote what sounds like a parody of rock, played by French jazz musicians.  This originally 10" release (Oh, how I wish I own that version) in 1956, saw the presence of rock entering the French market place.  My guess is that Vian, a total Jazz-head, probably liked the Black American elements of rock n' roll and not that crazy about the commercial push of that genre.  But that's just an educated guess on my part.  Half the album is Salvador/Vian, and the other is Vian/Michel Legrand songs.  Big band, honking horns, excellent cutting electric guitar, and Salvador singing the absurd lyrics by Vian.   Superb music. 

Various - Jean-Pierre Melville - "Le Circle Noir" CD, Compilation, 2008 (Universal Music)

As far as I know, this is the only compilation of soundtrack music to Jean-Pierre Melville's cinema.  I can't think of anything more pleasurable than being in a theater in front of a Melville image/narration.    The word "perfection" comes to mind.  Not only for the mind but the physical pleasure of being glued to one's seat and watching the world of French gangsters do what they do best: drink, rob, and existential dialogue.  

"Le Cercle Noir" is a CD that came out in 2008 that pretty much covers all of Melville's film work.  We have the great theme by Jo Boyer doing "Bob Le Flambeur" as well as the haunted score for Le Samouraï."  For a CD, the packaging is great with a wonderful essay both in French and in English.  Not the easiest CD to find, but very much worth the hunt.  I think I got mine in Paris, which is odd because usually, I have a hard time locating French New Wave soundtracks in that city, even though the CD is made in France.  Japan tends to be the capital of French New Wave albums/CDs. 

ist Hide Credits

		Bob Le Flambeur (1956)
1	–Jo Boyer	Thème De Bob Composed By, Trumpet – Jo BoyerPerformer – L'Orchestre D'Eddie Barclay*	2:32
		Deux Hommes Dans Manhattan (1959)
2	–Christian Chevallier	Deux Hommes Dans Manhattan (Générique)	1:51
3	–Christian Chevallier	Déambulation Nocturne	2:07
4	–Christian Chevallier	Filature	2:00
5	–Christian Chevallier	Street In Manhattan Lyrics By – Jo WarfieldVocals – Glenda Leigh	3:52
		Léon Morin, Prêtre (1961)
6	–Martial Solal	Léon Morin Composed By – Martial SolalHarmonica – Albert Raisner	1:54
		Le Doulos (1962)
7	–Paul Misraki	Le Doulos (Générique)	3:22
8	–Paul Misraki	Jazz Rapide	3:17
9	–Paul Misraki	Final	2:16
		L'Aîné Des Ferchaux (1963)
10	–Georges Delerue	Les Appalaches Composed By – Georges Delerue	4:36
		Le Samouraï (1967)
11	–François De Roubaix	Le Samouraï Orchestrated By, Directed By – Eric Demarsan	2:03
12	–François De Roubaix	Fatalité / La Blessure Orchestrated By, Directed By – Eric Demarsan	3:09
		L'Armée Des Ombres (1969)
13	–Eric Demarsan	Thème De Gerbier	3:13
14	–Eric Demarsan	Le 20 Octobre 1942	1:38
15	–Eric Demarsan	Mathilde / Les Barraquements	3:05
		Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
16	–Eric Demarsan	Le Cercle Rouge	1:50
17	–Eric Demarsan	Quand Les Hommes Ont Rendez-vous	1:08
18	–Eric Demarsan	Final Inédit	4:03
		Un Flic (1972)
19	–Michel Colombier	Un Monsieur Distingué	3:20
20	–Michel Colombier	Un Casse	2:57
21	–Michel Colombier	C'est Ainsi Que Les Choses Arrivent Lyrics By – Charles AznavourVocals – Isabelle Aubret	3:58
		Musique Inédite Pour Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
22	–Michel Legrand	Chassés-Croisés	2:43
23	–Michel Legrand	Visions	2:49
24	–Michel Legrand	Engrenages (Final)	2:21

Barney Wilen/Alain Goraguer - "Jazz & Cinema Vol. 1" CD, Remastered, France, 2000 (Gitanes Jazz Productions/Jazz in Paris)

It's no top secret that the Paris culture loves American Jazz.  Similar to American pop culture being in tuned to the British Invasion of the early 1960s.   Gitanes, the tobacco company that probably killed Serge Gainsbourg and many others, had the good taste to sponsor a series of classic French Jazz sessions, that are way out of print, yet, essential to the jazzier and French cultural maven.  I think I have the complete series.  The majority of the recordings are from the post-war years in Paris, from 1946 to 1959.  A lot of it is American and French musicians who made recordings for the French market.  A lot of American musicians, especially Black Americans, made a good living in Paris during those years.   Thanks to people like by beloved Boris Vian.

"Jazz & Cinema" comes to five separate CDs.  Their first volume is devoted to the soundtracks of "J'Irai Cracher Sur Vos Tombes" by Alain Goraguer (based on a Boris Vian/Vernon Sullivan novel) and Un Témoin Dans La Ville by Barney Wilen.  Both from 1959.   Both are great scores by these magnificent talented musicians.   Goraguer is of special interest to me, due that he had worked with Vian, Serge Gainsbourg, and made a pioneering electronic score for La Planète Sauvage.  The CD series is not expensive, and all come with great liner notes and images of the original release.  Their outer CD covers look like a tourist trap attraction but believe me, the sound is great and the talent/recordings are all magnificent. 

Serge Gainsbourg - "Théatre Des Capucines 1963" CD, France, 2003 (Mercury)

This is an album or CD one doesn't see around that much.  It's perfect.  I have the CD, but I really want the 10" vinyl that came out in 2003.  I don't think the album was ever released in 1963, the time of its recording.   Why?  Nevertheless, it's a brilliant live set from one of the great songwriters of the 20th century.  For me, the jazz/latin Gainsbourg period is the best. I know he's mostly acknowledged for "Melody Nelson" and his work with Jane Birkin, which of course, is fantastic.  But the music that he made and recorded from the year 1959 to the early 1960s is incredible.  Gainsbourg was on a streak that was like a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto.  Just non-stop pleasure. 

"La Javanaise," "Intoxicated Man" "Negative Blues" and others - all magnificent.  The backing band was just Elek Bacsik on electric guitar and Michel Gaudry on double bass.   Minimal precise, and no wasted space.   Whatever you do, do not ignore the early Gainsbourg magic or his genius at the time. 

Martial Solal Joue Michel Magne - "Electrode" Vinyl, LP, 1966 (Cacophonic)

Martial Solal + Michel Magne + Jean-Claude Vannier = Wow!   Kind of a super band or super musicians getting together for one album.  What we have here is the amazing talents of Martial Solal and trio (Gilbert Rovère on bass and Charles Gellonzi on drums) plus composer Michel Magne's orchestration and then with the additional genius of Jean-Claude Vannier's arrangements.  First of all, when you hear the very first note on Solal's piano, you're immediately drawn to Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless" in which Solal did the soundtrack.   And not surprisingly, when one hears "Electrode," you think soundtrack music because there is something incredibly visual within the music. 

Magne composed the music here, and Vannier takes that music to another planet.  It is jazz, but with avant-garde leanings and sounds from Magne and Vannier, who both can be experimental on their own each recording.  So what we have here is the Solal trio doing what they do, which is magic, and Magne's composition which is pushing the envelope between the medium of jazz and 20th century written score.  Vannier then kicks the whole project into another soccer stadium.  Recorded in 1966, it's a lively energetic album.  And for those who are hung up on the sounds of early Godard (like me) will find this album amazing. 

BARNEY WILEN: Un témoin dens la ville & Jazz sur seine (Doxy) 45 rpm, 12" Vinyl Record

Another in the great series for the label Doxy, of Jazz music, composed for French films.  Here we have a very young French sax player Barney Wilen, who became known internationally after working with Miles Davis, on his score for Ascenseur pour l'échafaud.  Un témoin dens la ville is a classic noir-like score to its film, which one can smell the alcohol from the streets of the right bank.   Well, it does have one of the great French stars, Lino Ventura (born in Italy I think, but still...) in a film I have never seen.  I must make note... but if it's anything like its soundtrack, it's a must.  Sadly, I don't know the other musicians on this recording, but this 1958 piece of wonder really reflects on what is on the above album cover.  The mood is tense, with moments of intense beauty.

Side two is Jazz sure seine, which is Wilen playing with various members of the Modern Jazz Quartet, such as vibe player Milt Jackson on piano and the great Kenny Clarke on drums. I'm not sure if this was originally made for a film track, but it clearly brings pictures in one's head.  The music is touched with a lightness that's superb.   This is a fantastic album that will melt your brain, and bring warmth to your soul.

MICHEL LEGRAND - "Michel Legrand (WEA) Vinyl 1981

I found this album yesterday, at Amoeba on Sunset.  I'm a fan of Michel Legrand.  I try to avoid the 80s material. Because I always felt that was a bad era for everyone - and this album was recorded and produced in 1981.  What caught my interest, is that he wrote both music (of course) and lyrics.  So this is truly a hardcore Legrand solo project.   If not the greatest Legrand, it is still pretty good.  Side one is the most interesting, due that it has a full orchestration on that side.  Legrand doesn't only do lush, but he's intense as well.  There are only a handful of recordings or albums where he sings, and this may have been the last Legrand singing album - but I'm not sure about that.   Nevertheless, he sings great.  Side two is basically different from the first side, due that it is very much guitars, bass, keyboards and drums setting. Not exactly rocking, but some tunes do have a 'funk' feel to them.  I can imagine a Steely Dan fan be into side two, while us Jacques Demy lunatics will be into side one.  As far as I know, this album never appeared on a CD, but one can find used vinyl here and there. I would pick it up - especially if you're into the Legrand/Demy world (side one). 

Annie Cordy - "Cigarettes, Whisky et P’tit’s Pépées" EP

Annie Cordy - Cigarettes, Whisky et P’tit’s Pépées EP

Download

One of the greatest recordings I heard this year, and it came somewhere in the internet and onto my computer.  For the past two years I have been trying to track down French EP’s because I like the format and design of these precious objects of desire.   Nevertheless, and sadly I can only find the music through other’s blogs.  Finding a copy one can hold is not impossible, but takes a great deal of time to track down.  Annie Cordy’s ep Cigarettes, Whisky et P’tit’s Pépées is such a haunted piece of recorded music.   My guess is the recording is from the early 50’s and what stands out is Cordy’s great vocal, but with an understated organ, and a crisp electric guitar.  The other three songs are not that special, but the leading track is a real ‘wow’ to me. 

Andy Chango - "Boris Vian"

Andy Chango - Boris Vian

Download

This is an album I know very little about, except that Andy Chango is from Buenos Aires and it seems he likes Boris Vian’s music.   Chango covers all the Vian hits on this very respectful album to his aesthetic or style.  And that is why I have trouble with it.  The music is well-arranged, well sung, and very properly respectful, and this is the problem.  I think Vian needs a John Zorn or an artist of that range to really transfer the Vian aesthetic to another plane on this planet.  The only singer (besides Vian) that I think does a proper job on his songs is Serge Reggiani, who odd enough reminds me of Bryan Ferry.  Still, the Vian world is a small one, and for the collection one must have this album, no?

The Blue Stars Of France - "Lullaby of Birdland & Other Famous Hits"

The Blue Stars of France - Lullaby of Birdland & Other Famous Hits

Vinyl LP, 1952

Emory

I just purchase this album from the Pasadena Record Swap Meet, and I have been looking for this on vinyl for an awhile now.  I have a secret passion for Christiane Legrand, whose brother is Michel the great soundtrack composer, songwriter and damn good piano player.  She is not the easiest to find.  In Japan there is a CD collection of her solo recordings, and she is even a guest vocalist on Procol Harum’s Grand Hotel album.  But there is not a lot of information that is out there on this vocalist.  She is also a key member of the Swingle Singers.  But before all that she was part of the The Blue Stars, or as they say in  France Les Blue Stars.  A vocal group started up by the legendary Blossom Dearie.  Also in this group is Christian Chevallier and Roger Guérin, very noted and great French jazz musicians.  So one can think of the Blue Stars as an early super-group.

Jazz vocalizing is not something I have a great passion for, but alas, once I opened up my ears to these voices, oh my oh my, a magnificent experience.  It is not just the vocals, but also the tasteful instrumentation behind them that is fantastic.  A lot of the music was arranged by Michel Legrand, and it shows the master’s touch.  

Brigitte Fontaine - "Comme a la Radio"

Brigitte Fontaine - Comme à la Radio

I-Tunes, France, 1971

Saravah

One of those great mood shifters, where France meets American avant-jazz that equals a French sensibility.  Magnificent percussion with the low sounds of a stand-up bass is a very seductive sound. Middle-eastern sounds creep into the framework, and Brigitte Fontaine is simply part of the landscape.  I often think of her as the French Grace Jones, due to her going into unknown territory with no fear.  The music is wonderful and The Art Ensemble of Chicago offers layers of sounds that suits Fontaine’s  voice perfectly.  Torch singing for the adventuress and those who lurk in the 3 AM night. 

Brigitte Fontaine - "13 Chansons Décadentes et Fantasmagoriques" CD Album

Brigitte Fontaine - 13 Chansons Décadentes et Fantasmagoriques

CD, Album, France, 2002 (originally recorded 1966)

Disques Jacques Canetti

What planet is this woman from, and why am I not born on this same planet?   Brigitte Fontaine, is a force that goes forward and rarely looks back.  But for me who just discovered her maybe five years ago, I have a lot to catch up on.  So I believe this may be her first album.  Chansons Décadentes et Fantasmagoriques.  Fontaine, who I know very little of, with respect to her background, but I have a strong suspicion that she is the bohemian’s bo-ho.  A chanson singer by trade, but one who took that form into another world.  Her singing style is very theatrical with a tinge of contemporary feeling or soul.   What is interesting to me (among a lot of stuff regarding her) is that Jimmy Walter arranged this album, and also worked with Boris Vian.   And she also did an album of recordings of Vian’s music as well.  So that thread between Saint Germain des Prés culture is very much part of Fontaine’s world, yet different because it is being made for the May ’68 generation.  This is an artist who didn’t stand still. I want to belong to her cult.

Magali Noel - "Magali Noel chante Boris Vian" CD Album Reissue

Magali Noel - Magali Noel Chante Boris Vian

CD, Album, Reissue, 2002 (originally recorded 1964), France

Jacques Canetti

Both films “La Dolce Vita” and “Rififi” benefited from the presence of Magall Noel, and like a shadow  following another presence, Boris Vian had a wonderful singer to represent the pop side of his music.  Jazz like, but more of a pop leaning, Noel tears into the Vian songbook for the second time.  Her first album was “Rock n’ Roll” which was supervised by Vian as well as being all songs co-written by the master.   This album was recorded in 1964, five years after Vian’s death.  It is both a tribute to the man, but also the distance of years between his passing and the recording allows Noel to convey a fresh light to the magnificent Vian wit.  

Finger-snapping rhythm, most of these songs are up-tempo and it does have a sense of energy due to Noel’s voice and presence in these recordings.  

Boris Vian - "Inédits Radio" CD Compilation

Boris Vian - Inédits Radio

CD, Compilation, France, 2003

INA

For the Boris Vian fan, this is very much the holly grail of listening pleasure.  Among other talents by the Jacques-of-all-trades Vian also had DJ skills, which makes perfect sense because he was such a vinyl addict of his time.  I’ve read in a biography on Simone De Beauvoir that he helped purchase a sound system for her apartment, and also chose the recordings to go with that system.  A music lover, especially a jazz fanatic, is part of a small world.  Here Vian shares that world with listeners over the medium of the radio.

Vian had a thing for Duke Ellington, like he should of course, and the entire radio broadcast or the ‘best’ of his shows, he clearly has an understanding to what makes this music so cool.  Also included is Vian playing music with the Le Tabou orchestra.  And his priceless commentary (in French of course) on the music plus him interviewing Ellington. 

Boris Vian - "Boris Vian á Saint-Germain-Des-Prés" - "Pauline Julien Chante Boris Vian Box Set"

Boris Vian - Boris Vian Á Saint-Germain-Des-Prés - Pauline Julien Chante Boris Vian

3 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Box Set, France, 1978

CBS

In theory this 3 LP set captures the magic of Boris Vian’s early fascinating with playing traditional jazz in smoky bars that are located in the Saint-Germain des Prés area of Paris.  So there is a great deal of romance with respect to listening to this album and reading the jacket as well.  You can smell the existential angst off the vinyl!

For those who want to investigate and enjoy the early years of Vian making music, this box set is pretty much all you need.   The first two disks focus on small jazz combos that he was in.   The first disk is Vian in the Claude Luter band, and the other is with Claude Abadle and his jazz orchestra.  Both recordings are from 1944, so it was slightly before Vian started writing his novels - both the Vernon Sullivan and the books under his name.   What is interesting is that during this time there were two parts of the Jazz world in Paris at the time.  One totally into playing New Orleans jazz and other grouping was into Be-Bop.   Vian was unique in that he played New Orleans jazz but was a champion critic for the Bop scene that was making noise in Paris, as elsewhere.  As usual,  Vian was doing several things at once and just taking the whole Jazz music world in one gulp.   His jazz criticisms are excellent and actually for its time it sort of reminds me of Lester Bangs or punk-era critics writing about music. 

The third LP in this box set is a set of songs written by Boris Vian, all of them classic works, done by Quebec citizen Pauline Julien, a feminist and pro-Quebec personality.  The beauty of having a rebel doing the songs from the ultimate rebel is simply fantastic.  These recordings were made in the mid 60’s as Vian’s writings became better known through out the French speaking world.

André Popp & His Orchestra - "Delirium In Hi-Fi" CD Album

André Popp & His Orchestra – Delirium In Hi-Fi

CD Album, Reissue, Remastered, Netherlands, 1997 (Originally 1957, France)

Basta

I bought this album to be a completest with respect to my collection that includes anything to do with Boris Vian. Which over time, leads one to strange places and times. André Popp is for sure in the strange category. Delirium In Hi-Fi is one of the many albums released in the late 1950's dealing with the wonderful world of home Hi-Fi. On one level it is used to test the sound of your new system at home, and on another level it is total perverse French pop music. Like the brilliant Alain Goraguer, who was around the same time and a buddy of Vian's, Popp was in the same line of business. Backing various French stars of the 50's and 60's – for instance Brigitte Bardot, among others. Compared to Goraguer, Popp is more commercial minded and more easy-listening. Except this album is border-line experimental with speeded up vocals and instrumentation. It is sort of like an over-sized or aged child playing in the recording studio. No wonder Boris Vian worked and liked him! The very devil even wrote the liner notes to this album!

But beyond Popp's trash sensibility, lurks a man who loves sound. One often thinks of Eno as a sound-breaker, but it is actually people like Joe Meek and Popp, and in a certain way Andre Hodeir were pioneers in the recording studio and how sound can be reproduced or thinking of recordings as a sepearate medium than live sound. Kitsch as hell, but fascinating as well.