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

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

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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

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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 Animals - "The Best Of The Animals"

The Animals - The Best Of The Animals

CD, Compilation, Download

ABKCO Records

I never liked an actual Animals album due to the fact that they were slaves to the R&B sound, when in fact I loved their ‘hit’ singles.   “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” to me is close to perfection as a pop masterpiece.  The Best Of The Animals in all honesty is a good compilation of their different early sounds.  And one has to separate the Eric Burdon & The Animals, from just the plain Animals.  

In many ways, The Animals remind me of Manfred Mann, the same strong organ sound that runs through their material, and their very basis of Rhythm and Blues is very much part of their foundation as well.   But I prefer the voice of Paul Jones over Eric Burdon.  Perhaps because Jones played the pop star better than the very serious Burdon?  Nevertheless this is like comparing apples to oranges, The Animals were pretty great. 

“We Gotta Get Out Of This Place” is essential rock anthem.  The great thing about The Animals is that they had good taste in material.  They wrote very little, yet they had the natural talent in finding the  right song that is suitable for Burdon’s voice.  The producer Mikie Most is also an underrated genius.  He just understood the nature of a good pop hit.  Not exciting, but a guy who I think by instinct knew how to fill a record with sound, and the right sound with the right artist.  Not always an easy thing to do.  

André Popp - "If You Go Away"

André Popp - If You Go Away

Vinyl LP, UK, 1972

Circle of Sound (Download)

Probably the worst album in my collection that is still, somewhat interesting due to the fact that he knew Boris Vian.  André Popp was one of the key arrangers during the post-war years in France.  Worked with Bardot and Gréco on their recordings and also with Boris Vian, right before he passed away.   Popp in the Fifties made almost experimental ‘lounge’ music, especially for the hi-fi market that was a big thing at the time.  Vian, without a doubt, being an mechanical engineer, had an interest in new recording equipment and developments in that world.  Would he liked the CD format?  Nevertheless this is not an important album to own. In fact it is on my computer, so it is almost not really here in physical space. 

André Almuro - "Poésie de Cruauté"

André Almuro - Artaud, Genet, Lorca, Cocteau, Larronde, Almuro - Poésie de Cruauté

Vinyl LP (Download), 1962

Disques Mouloudji

A mysterious album that I downloaded from god knows where, but what a cool piece of vinyl.  I’m on the hunt for it.  The little I know is that André Almuro worked in radio, and was or is (he’s still alive at 82) a figure in the French Music Conncréte world.  He met a 15 year old Pierre Clémenti and worked together making films, and recording Clémenti’s poetry.  Eventually in the 40’s he hooked up with the legendary Pierre Schaeffer and joined his Radio Télévision Française.  

Poésie de Cruauté is a fascinating piece of work.  Here Almuro makes music behind the narration of various poems by Artaud, Lorca, Genet, Cocteau and Olivier Larronde, who I don’t know at all.  The poems are read by Jean Bollery and Pierre Frilay, with a certain amount of vocal effects for their voices.  A great album, and without a doubt I am going to look for Almuro’s films.  Fascinating.

Also of great interest is that this album was released on the great Left-Bank (Vian pal) Mouloudji’s record label.

Blues Incorporated - "R&B From The Marquee"

Blues Incorporated - R&B From The Marquee

CD, Album, UK, 1962

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Ground zero for British blues.  On paper it is a weird image of Europeans singing American black music.  But then again, why not?   What is important to me is the location.  And the title of this album says it all for me.  The Marquee Club.  Nevertheless this album is recorded in a recording studio somewhere in North London, and not in the legendary club.  But the pop/cultural monster that is in me pretends that this is a live recording in a rainy Soho night. 

Musically I don’t think it’s an important record, but on a historical cultural level super important.  So many British musicians probably owned or seen this band that it is probably tattooed on their DNA in some form or fashion.   The key players in this group is Alexis Korner on acoustic guitar, Cyril Davies on harmonica and vocal, Long John Baldry on vocals, and Dick Heckstall-Smith on saxophone.  A super band of sorts in the early era of Cliff Richard mania U.K.  

One thing I do imagine, and I think it is real, is these characters must have been a fascinating bunch.   Total obsession of a certain music, always makes a great character.  I will always love this album cover and the name of the band.  It is very romantic to me. 

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.