Françoise Samson

Axel Manrico Heilhecker is the essential component of Sunya Beat. The German multi-instrumentalist is accompanied by the Gambian Samson Gassama. The latter is a world famous specialist in African drums and percussions from Boogaraboo. Recorded in 1999, "Wandyah" reveals ethnic influences from one, and flamenco inclinations from the other. Music of album is soft African influenced new age.

Released in late 1968 and just about impossible to find on anything other than vinyl until this CD was offered.Francoise Hardy released quite a few English recordings over the years but I believe this was her first attempt to package the early 'pop' recordings for her English speaking fans.

‘Samson de la nuit’ was the affectionate epithet given to this pianist who seemed never to sleep and who was almost as famous for spending his early morning hours in Parisian jazz clubs as he was for playing Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit. Like the Biblical Samson, Samson François wore his hair long – it often hung in front of his eyes as he played – and like the character Scarbo in Gaspard, he could be mischievous and evasive. A man of contrasts, he was in many ways the epitome of what one thought a romantic pianist should be – confident, dashing, poetic, moody, passionate, tender and temperamental. Today, more than 40 years after his premature death, a new generation of listeners has come to appreciate the qualities that made him one of the great pianists of the 20th century.