St Germain

Since the advent of acid jazz in the mid-'80s, the many electronic-jazz hybrids to come down the pipe have steadily grown more mature, closer to a balanced fusion that borrows the spontaneity and emphasis on group interaction of classic jazz while still emphasizing the groove and elastic sound of electronic music. For his second album, French producer Ludovic Navarre expanded the possibilities of his template for jazzy house by recruiting a sextet of musicians to solo over his earthy productions.

Bobby Jaspar is in top form in this pair of sessions previously released in the 1980s on an Emarcy CD entitled Memory of Dick prior to its reappearance in 2001 as a part of Verve's ambitious Jazz in Paris series. The tenor saxophonist is joined by pianist René Urtreger, guitarist Sacha Distel, bassist Benoit Quersin, and drummer Jean-Louis Viale for this bop-oriented disc, which includes a sauntering take of Milt Jackson's "Bag's Groove," a revival of "Milestones" (an early gem by Miles Davis from his days with Charlie Parker), and a delightful romp through "You Stepped Out of a Dream." The Belgian leader puts his own stamp on a frenetic but brief arrangement of "A Night in Tunisia," but the most memorable track is "I'll Remember April," featuring his haunting flute in a captivating piano-less setting, which also has fine solos by Distel and Quersin. Jaspar's premature death in 1963 robbed the jazz world of a promising talent; this disc is among his best efforts as a leader.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés Café is a series of nu-jazz compilations distributed by Wagram Music. Its name evokes the cafés of the area in Paris associated with the existentialism movement.

En décembre 1988, le pianiste compositeur John Lewis enregistrait « Midnight in Paris » avec quelques cadors du jazz français : Daniel Humair, Pierre Michelot, Michel Gaudry et Christian Escoudé, qu’il considérait comme l’héritier spirituel de Django ; John Lewis aimait beaucoup les guitaristes au premier rang desquels Django Reinhardt, à la mémoire duquel il dédia un an seulement après la mort de l’illustre manouche, ce magnifique Django, devenu un standard et ici repris dans un arrangement somptueux, façon jazz de chambre…

On this recording Marcel Loeffler pays tribute to the legendary St-Germain des-Prés of the post-war years, when jazz and chanson together belonged in heaven. The material you can hear in this album is the best, with the great melodies of Brassens, Aznavour, Gainsbourg and Trenet brought alive by a famous accordionist whose light, powerful swing has earned him a reputation as a peerless musician. A genuine breath of fresh spring air that combines warm music and joie de vivre.

During the 1950s in Paris the traditional jazz cellars could call on American as well as French musicians and Classic Jazz at St Germain des Pres is a lively record of the music heard there. Clarinettist Albert Nicholas had grown up with Bechet in New Orleans and offered a more elegant, less forceful individualism within that city's reed-playing tradition. His eight tracks from 1954 comprise four in the New Orleans sextet format, two delightful ones with a trio and two welcome borrowings from the world of Ellingtonia. Trombonist Archey was a less sophisticated musician but had his own recognisable style and his six tracks with a band including Michel Attenoux (on Bechet-like soprano) and pianist Georges Arvanitas (at the beginning of his career) are full of enthusiastic vigour…

Barney Wilen - More From Barney At The Club Saint-Germain (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 323 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 165 Mb
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© 1959, 2014 RCA / Sony Music Japan | SICP 3979
Jazz / Bop / Post Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with latest 2014 DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. A great little set – never issued before, but recorded at the same time as Wilen's classic 1959 album Barney, caught live at the Club St-Germain with a group that includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Duke Jordan on piano, Paul Rovere on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums. Like the Barney album, these tracks are fantastic – some of the most open-ended playing that Wilen ever did in the 50s, and proof that his tenor work was some of the best jazz coming out of Europe in the postwar years! All tracks are long – and titles include "Reets & I", "The Best Things In Life Are Free", "All The Things You Are", "Round Midnight", and "Time On My Hands".

On this recording Marcel Loeffler pays tribute to the legendary St-Germain des-Prés of the post-war years, when jazz and chanson together belonged in heaven. The material you can hear in this album is the best, with the great melodies of Brassens, Aznavour, Gainsbourg and Trenet brought alive by a famous accordionist whose light, powerful swing has earned him a reputation as a peerless musician. A genuine breath of fresh spring air that combines warm music and joie de vivre.