Michel Legrand at Shelly's Manne Hole

After her triumphs in the world’s great opera houses, Natalie Dessay crosses over. A tribute to the legendary Michel Legrand who has scored some of the most famous musical soundtracks.

Kritzerland is proud to present a world premiere CD release: "ODE TO BILLY JOE" Composed and Conducted by Michel Legrand. “Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge”. In 1967, Billie Joe jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge was one of the hottest topics of that summer, all over the world. The fact that it all had to do with a surprise number one hit song shows the power of great storytelling. Everyone was conjecturing what it was that was thrown off the Tallahatchie Bridge and why Billie Joe had killed himself. It became part of popular culture almost instantly. The song garnered eight Grammy nominations, winning three for Gentry and one for arranger Jimmie Haskell. Nine years later, Warner Bros. decided to turn the song into a feature film and hired author Herman Raucher (Summer of ’42) to do so. Max Baer, Jr. directed and produced the film – he was, at the time, best known for playing Jethro Bodine on the hit TV series The Beverly Hillbillies. Young actors Robby Benson and Glynnis O’Connor were cast in the leads, along with Joan Hotchkiss, James Best (giving a sensitive and wonderful performance), and others. Raucher changed the spelling of Billie to Billy and his screenplay fleshed out the events of the song, and gave the audience the reason for Billy Joe’s jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

Digitally remastered release containing French composer and pianist Michel Legrand's album Legrand Jazz in it's entirety, this was his first recorded collaboration with Miles Davis. As a bonus, the trumpeter's complete soundtrack for the film Ascenseur pour l'echafaud.

Decca Records France presents this wonderful high-resolution digital transfer of Michel Legrand's 1958 album, Legrand Jazz. French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist Michel Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many songs.

The match-up of neo-pop crooner with composer is a felicitous one, especially given that this album was recorded in Paris with arranging and conducting. The result is that the treatment of familiar songs such as and is less gimmicky than usual: and slow down, and treat in a more melancholy-than-usual manner. Elsewhere, 's blues and jazz influences are on display, notably on and 's lugubrious lyrics sometimes overstate the wistful tone of ' s melodies, but , by keeping his emotions in check, brings the two into harmony. The liner notes claim this is the singer's favorite of his own albums, and it is certainly one of his least compromised. So often, he has tried on record to balance his pop roots with the commercial demands of contemporary pop-rock; here, he is going all out in one particular style, and the approach works for him.

This 2009 CD contains French composer and pianist Michel Legrand 's album Legrand Jazz (1958) in it's entirety, featuring his first recorded collaboration with Miles Davis.

Decca Records France presents this wonderful high-resolution digital transfer of Michel Legrand's tribute album, Cole Porter.