The soundtrack to Woody Allen's 2011 Oscar-nominated romantic comedy Midnight in Paris features a variety of jazz tunes and popular songs that are all generally associated with the film's 1920s Paris setting. While Allen actually transports his movie's main character back to the '20s, most of the music here was recorded by contemporary artists who play in an old-school style. To these ends, we get such roiling and urbane Gypsy jazz tracks as Swing 41's "Je Suis Seul Ce Soir," Original Paris Swing's "Recado," and even several Cole Porter vocal numbers by Conal Fowkes – who appears as Porter in the film. Also featured are jaunty classic jazz cuts like Josephine Baker's conga dance number "La Conga Blicoti" and, of course, Sydney Bechet's "Si Tu Vois Ma Mère," which opens the film. Swooning and romantic in tone with a breezy, swinging jazz vibe throughout, the Midnight in Paris soundtrack is a must-have souvenir for traditional jazz lovers and any fan of the film.
Stan Getz leads a piano-less quartet at the Salle Pleyel in 1966, with veteran drummer Roy Haynes and two talented musicians still in their twenties at the time, bassist Steve Swallow and vibraphonist Gary Burton. The tenor saxophonist's always-lush tone is beautifully complemented by his musicians' sensitive accompaniment, especially on the lovely ballad "When the World Was Young." Burton is doubly showcased by Getz in the vibraphonist's tricky "Singing Song" and also dazzling the audience with his already well-developed four-mallet technique in a show-stopping solo interpretation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Edelweiss" (from The Sound of Music). Getz doesn't disappoint his French audience's desire for bossa nova, beginning the set with a smooth rendition of "Manha de Carnaval"…
Claude Bolling is a classical pianist who demonstrated an affinity for jazz with numerous recordings in crossover settings. But this 1972 session recorded for Phillips is strictly a solo piano affair in which Bolling salutes the greats of jazz piano, including Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Thelonious Monk, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, Earl Hines, Erroll Garner, and Horace Silver. He primarily sticks to a stride piano setting, which gives a whole new flavor to Silver's "The Preacher," while his interpretations of the works of stride pianists like Smith are technically polished but seem just a tad mechanical, lacking a true improviser's touch…
Hungarian guitarist Elek Bacisk is a cousin of Django Reinhardt, and has continued his tradition of blending swing and gypsy elements into a coherent, expressive jazz mode. Bacisk initially studied classical violin and played gypsy songs in Budapest, then switched to jazz guitar. As a teen, he recorded in a band with alto saxophonist Geza Szabo and trumpeter Jozsef Quitter, then later toured Europe with Mihaly Tabanyi's band. Bacisk moved to Paris in 1959, and through the early and mid-'60s recorded and played with visiting American musicians, among them Art Simmons, Quentin Jackson, Lou Bennett and Dizzy Gillespie. He also did sessions heading his own bands. Bacsik came to America in 1966, and worked from 1967-1974 with Teresa Brewer before cutting his own sessions. He appeared at the 1974 Newport Jazz Festival and 1984 Olympic Games Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.
Drummer Kenny Clarke became a fixture on the Paris jazz scene after moving there in 1956. One of his best records from his early days abroad, originally released by Phillips, is finally available on CD as a part of Verve's Jazz in Paris reissue series. With superb arrangements by Andre Hodeir, and a rotating cast of musicians over three separate recording sessions, the drummer sticks to providing brushwork behind the scenes. "Bemsha Swing," jointly written by Clarke with Thelonious Monk, centers around Martial Solal's playful solo, while the brass and reeds seem to be coming at each other from all angles in Monk's "Eronel"…
The 1958 session took place in Paris with Quincy Jones doing the arrangements and leading a 55-piece orchestra. To match up this large aggregation would be daunting for most singers. But with Vaughan's powerful operatic voice, it's no problem at all. Zoot Sims was present backing Vaughan and soloing on such cuts as "Misty." Also present was the rhythm section of Ronnell Bright on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums, and Richard Davis and Pierre Michelot sharing bass.