A man imagines that everybody he sees is naked. He goes to see a psychiatrist to see if he can be cured.
4 CD Box Set including a 36-page booklet with comprehensive essay by Jordi Pujol, complete sessionography, extensive recording details, rare photos and original art covers. Lucky Thompson (1924-2005) had never been accorded the praise he deserved in the United States, despite the fact that in the 40s many prominent critics and musicians considered him the finest tenor-saxophone player to appear in jazz since the emergence of Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young.
Tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson recorded enough material as a leader during the first half of 1956 (mostly in Paris) to fill up 12 LPs. This CD has music from two of his rarer sessions, featuring Thompson playing 12 songs (ten of which are his originals) with a French octet that includes pianist Martial Solal and some fine sidemen; these sessions were last available as the Xanadu LP Brown Rose. Thompson's warm tenor is well showcased at a variety of tempoes during the high-quality music.
I discovered Rachmaninov’s ‘Vespers’ singing in a choir, and the work made a genuine emotional impact on me! This music gives off an impression of naturalness and ‘simplicity’, yet in fact its architecture is complex and innovative for its time in the quasi-orchestral treatment of the voices. I wanted to place the work in a liturgical context that I conceived by drawing my inspiration from the Orthodox ceremonies I have been lucky enough to attend in Russia and Romania. The special characteristic and the beauty of this Vigil service (which in the Orthodox churches includes both Vespers and Matins) is that it accompanies the prayers of the faithful from dusk until sunrise.
"Paris Blues" features a 1957 meeting between saxophonist Lucky Thompson and the king of barrelhouse, Sammy Price. The two are backed by an excellent French band featuring guitar, double bass and traps. Hailing from the glorious era, this music is a remarkable expression of the bliss that can happen when Jazz and Blues become one. The album kicks off with, 'I Want A Little Girl.' It's one of a handful of songs with Sammy Price on vocals. His Blues singing is fantastic! Afterwards, the title track begins with a boogie-woogie piano solo. Before long, the band jumps on and joins Price. In this piece and through the album, Jean-Pierre Sasson's electric guitar work is superb. 'Up Above My Head' is a lively tune with Price's jovial vocals…
“Qui c’est celui-là?” Many French asked themselves this question (“Who’s that guy?”) when the song bearing this title began to smash the hit parade in 1975. Some others already had parts of the answer: it’s the guy who sang “Amour amitié”! The guy who sang “La femme du sergent”! The guy who sang “Armand” in “Le Petit Conservatoire de Mireille”! To all those French, Vassiliu had always been reduced. Few were the real fans, who had explored all angles and taken the measure of the man.