“Our complete compilation of Sister Rosetta Tharpe ends with this seventh CD on which her voice and guitar continue to resonate in the hearts of all those who have been tou ched by her generosity of spirit and who will continue to listen to her.” Jean BUZELIN
“The Lord made only one Louis Armstrong. It took him time, and he’d take even more time to make another one! Just one Louis is enough for this world.” Lionel HAMPTON
"The Fremeaux & Associes Complete Series usually feature all the original and available phonographic recordings and the majority of existing radio documents for a comprehensive portrayal of the artist. The Louis Armstrong series is an exception to the rule in that the selection of titles by this American wizard is certainly the most complete as published to this day but does not comprise all his recorded works." Patrick Fremeaux
Each album in the 3 album set Paris Musette is a reference for every fan of "musette" accordion in the whole world. This series initiated by producers Franck Bergerot and Didier Roussin for the label founded by Patrick Tandin aimed to provide the best recording conditions possible for major artists in a genre that had fallen out of favour, despite the fact that their repertoire was nothing less than the 'world music' of France in the pre- and post-war years. The first 3 volumes in the series appeared in 1990, 1993 and 1997 respectively, and were phenomenally successful in making the accordion a desirable instrument again, not only in World and Jazz circles but also in popular song. Returning to it's origins, and once again a 'legitimate' style, the music of Paris Musette spread to Canada, the United States and Asia, while the musicians played on world tours. The series sold more than 100, 000 copies and was licensed to Sony for distribution in Japan.
With his great Soul voice and elegant guitar, B.B. King is the musician who deserves most credit for making the world discover the Blues. This anthology compiled by Bruno Blum includes the best titles from the guitarist’s most authentic period, the years in which he imposed his influential, highly personal style to become a King of the Blues. Patrick FReMEAUX
“You really have to be blind to all the evidence if you refuse to see that Parker’s calibre was at least as prodigious as that of the greatest musicians of earlier generations.” Boris VIAN
The aim of 'The Complete Charlie Parker', compiled for Fremeaux & Associes by Alain Tercinet, is to present (as far as possible) every studio-recording by Parker, together with titles featured in radio-broadcasts. Private recordings have been deliberately omitted from this selection to preserve a consistency of sound and aesthetic quality equal to the genius of this artist.
Serge Gainsbourg remains one of the most influential artists of the 20th century to this day. In this second volume, Olivier Julien and Frederic Regent have gathered all of Gainsbourg’s works from the period 1960-1962, a little-known period when French song was in transition, in a context where rock ’n’ roll was emerging at the same time as the beginnings of the tidal wave in French pop they called “Ye-Ye”. This 3CD set contains titles sung by not only Gainsbourg himself, but great stars of the early Sixties, including Juliette Greco, Philippe Clay, Catherine Sauvage and Petula Clark. Patrick FReMEAUX
Left to its own devices these last few years, jazz musette Strikes Back! The Swing of France trio have not only inherited the swing waltzes of Tony Murena, Gus Viseur and Jo Privat: they also perpetuate the legacy of the “Paris Musette” collective that put the squeeze-box back in the spotlight some 30 years ago. The trio shows great brio in reviving the melodic force of this universal music, warm, sophisticated… and commonly known as “the Paris blues." The public had forgotten jazz musette, but Swing of France is striking back, and conquest of the galaxy is near!
Since his arrival in Paris 15 years ago, and assisted by Patrick Tandin Productions, Raul Barboza gained international repute. Through records, DVDs and concerts on the world’s most prestigious stages, Barbaoza globally legitimized his Indian-inspired accordion and became the major ambassador of Chamame, the expression of a natural life-style using musical rhythms and improvisation. D. Leblond, B. Goldenstein et P. Fremeaux
Dany Doriz, the man behind the Caveau de la Huchette club since 1970, and a peerless vibraphone player in his own right (with the blessing of Lionel Hampton), extends an invitation to Scott Hamilton, a world icon in saxophone swing (cf. the Michel Jonasz album ‘La boîte de jazz’)… Both of them living legends, and both the keepers of their instruments’ memory. Their many meetings onstage over the years were bound to result in a record. The main strength of this album: resolutely contemporary jazz, combined with just as much respect for tradition, elegance and virtuosity. And the outcome is sealed by profound feelings of mutual admiration and friendship. They restore to life a whole era of classic jazz… and make it part of the great jazz repertoire. Patrick FReMEAUX
4-CD box set features Maxim Saury, Benny Vasseur, Rex Stewart, Gerard Badini, Pierre Michelot and Roy Eldridge. Includes Django's great successes performed by Claude Bolling's Big Band and also contains the very first recordings of Claude Bolling's Big Band realized by Franck T'not between 1948 and 1956. Three of these CDs express the beginning of European jazz, joined by one CD where Claude Bolling is interviewed by jazz specialist Daniel Nevers and editor Patrick Fremeaux in January 2003.
Guitarist Rodolphe Raffalli is known internationally for his performances of Georges Brassens material, and here he accompanies Renée Garlène, a singer whose precise, rare tone provides sensitive and delicate readings of the same composer's repertoire. Together they form an extraordinarily musical duo: the guitar's aerial phrases seem to hold conversations with the songs themselves, and the pair are backed by a wonderful rhythm section, notably partnered by Teofilo Chantre, the great musician from Cape Verde. Here the Brassens repertoire is tinted with jazz, swing and Brazilian rhythms, providing music that softly weaves through these songs to emphasize all the power of the poetry behind the melodies of Brassens.
“A veritable driving power behind small swinging jazz bands, piano boogie would make a lasting mark on rhythm and blues before, in turn, being taken up by rock ‘n’ roll. Jean Buzelin allows us to discover this story with a 42 tracks boxset featuring a 32 pages booklet in both French and English.”
In the early Sixties Les McCann was a pioneer of “soul jazz”. Critics called it commercial, but the music drew efficient melodies from blues, gospel and rhythm & blues. The young pianist McCann signed with Pacific Jazz in 1960 and toured Europe with his Trio on ‘61 and ‘62, opening for the orchestras of Ray Charles and Count Basie. The “Live in Paris” collection gives us the opportunity to listen to these great concerts again, and also hear rare recordings like this one, recorded in July ‘61 at the Chameleon club in Paris, a legendary Left Bank nightspot. The inspired McCann also growls characteristically, kindly admonishing his audience when they whistle along with the melody, and everyone has a good time. The jazz is soulful in this set, and you can almost see the club’s damp walls beneath wreaths of smoke. A rare document that transports the listener, thanks to a generous, swinging pianist. Patrick FReMEAUX
This 4-CD set pays tribute to the French poet Jacques Prevert. He is generally considered as the 20th century’s greatest writer. For his words are simple. They are intended for those they describe. The tragic aspect is never absolute for Prevert – the last word is always with humour. Prevert was an author for commoners, an aristocrat of the streets. Each of the CDs is dedicated to a particular topic (childhood, love, music, freedom) and features a selection of Prevert’s texts read by the author himself or by great actors, his friends (radio archives) – including interviews of his contemporaries. In French..
(2-CD set) This set delivers the best tracks recorded by Chet Baker between 1953 and 1956 in Los Angeles, Paris and Ann Arbor. As usual this "Quintessence" volume features a booklet with both French and English notes written by Alain Gerber, writer, journalist and producer in France.Gerry Mulligan Quartet : Moonlight In Vermont, Chet Baker Quartet : Maid In Mexico - Imagination - Band Aid - Happy Little Sunbeam, Chet Baker Ensemble : Ergo - Moonlight Becomes You, Chet Baker With Strings : A Little Duet, Chet Baker Quartet : But Not For Me (Vocal) - But Not For Me (Instrumental) - There Will Never Be Another You - Look For The Silver Lining - My Funny Valentine - I Fall In Love Too Easily - Line For Lyons - Lover Man - My Funny Valentine - Zing, Went The Strings Of My Hart. Chet Baker Sextet : Little Man, You've Had A Busy Day, Chet Baker Quartet : Long Ago And Far Away - Sad Walk - Tenderly, Chet Baker & His Orchestra : Chet, Chet Baker Quartet : Everything Happens To Me, Chet Baker Quintet : Tasty Pudding, Chet Baker Quartet : That Old Feeling - I've Never Been In Love Before, Chet Baker & Art Pepper Sextet : Sonny Boy, Chet Baker Quartet : My Ideal, Chet Baker Quintet : To Mickey's Memory, Chet Baker Big Band : A Foggy Day - Darn That Dream - Tenderly, Russ Freeman & Chet Baker : Love Nest - Hugo Hurwhey.
