Gauloises and Red Wine Sold Separately
M. Hartman | East Coast, Etats-Unis | 03/22/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Chanson is the popular music of France. Cafes, Red Wine Gauloises cigarettes...chanson! Chanson is the sound of French life and this is a great starting point for the uninitiated. Starting with the familiar, Piaf's "La Vie En Rose" and then Josephine Baker's "J'ai Deux Amours" the disc then escorts the listener through some of the familiar and unfamiliar stars in the chanson firmament. Charles Trenet's "Que Reste-t-il de Nos Amours" is pure poetry with a sophisticated swing. These vintage tracks are wonderful. From the patriotism of Maurice Chavalier's "Fleur de Paris" to the drunken carousing of "Le Pont" these songs defined France for generations. As the cd moves into songs from the 50's and 60's Jazz (Jean Sablon), Pop (Henri Salvador) and Existentialism (Juliette Greco) began to influence chanson. While the disco-influenced "Mon Truc A Plumes" makes one wish that Blue Note hadn't ventured into the 70's on this cd, or had chosen a less dated song (Brassens, anyone?). Aside from this misstep, the cd is perfect and introduces the listener to singers too often neglected: Cora Vaucaire and Germaine Montero. Could they have included the likes of Jacques Brel, Yves Montand, Danielle Darrieux and Mireille Mathieu? Absolutely. But what they offer here stands on its own merit. The CD offers an excellent introduction to chanson and it is up to the listener to continue the journey."
Absorbs you in its own unique musical style
Neal C. Reynolds | Indianapolis, Indiana | 01/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First, you do need to know that these are recordings made between 1930-1977, so don't expect today's sound quality. However, what you can expect is a specifically ethnic genre which expresses the complex spirit of a country and its people. The singers here express varieties of emotion from an exuberant joviality to sly flirtation and innuendo to wistful yearning, all with the French accent and flair. This music is generally fun and often romantic and at times enticing. It needs to be heard to be understood, and since the lyrics are in French with no translations, one needs to just go with the language of the music itself. There are so many great voices here, such as Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker. These are basically ballads, more often sung by the ladies. Highly recommended."