Search - Various Artists :: Paris Musette, Vol. 2: Swing et Manouche

An anthology of french gipsy waltzes

JEAN-MARIE JUIF | BESANCON France | 03/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THis second volume of three,dedicated to gipsy waltzes,or "swing walzes",was recorded in 1993 and presents some of the greatest masters of accordion in France.Too bad,Gus Viseur,Tony Murena and Jo Privat were gone at this time;but the youngers play great.The talented guitars of Didier Roussin and Didi Duprat swing all through the record.Even if they're not gypsies (or weren't gypsies,both dying shortly after the recording session,Duprat at almost 80 and Roussin over 30 years younger),their playing reminds us of Sarane and Matlo Ferret.As far as accordion is concerned,14 different players are featured here.On "Nany",a Joseph Colombo's waltz,the great Jean Corti is featured.This master,who played ,among others,with Jacques Brel,and who should now be over 80 years old,is one of my favorites,combining the "musette" feeling with a very swinging jazz touch."Montagne Sainte Geneviève",named for a part of Paris,was written by Django Reinhardt but never recorded by him.Michel Macias,marvelously backed by Roussin,gives a splendid version of this extremely difficult tune."Jeannette",another very beautiful minor waltz,co-written by Gus Viseur and Louis Ferrari,is a beautiful duet between the accordions of Joe Rossi and Valérie Guérouet."La roulotte" is written and played by Louis Corchia,one of the elders of this record."Papillons noirs",(aka "Black butterflys"),a waltz by Jo Privat,is played by a saxophone quartet."Mystérieuse",another of Privat's tunes,is a perfetc example of the gipsy way to explore waltzes,even if Privat wasn't a gipsy.It is magnificently played by Martin O'Connor."La Rabouine",a Louis Ferrari's tune,introduces François Parisi."Bis'ness", a java written by Murena,offers a second opportunity for Louis Corchia to shine."La valse des niglos" ("the hedgehog's waltz",referring to one of the gipsies' favorite feed),is an old waltz written by the obscure Gusti Malha,and introduces the violin of Jacques Quézin and the accordion of Serge Desaunay."Germaine",another splendid waltz by Colombo,introduces Denis Tuveri,with great support by Didi Duprat."Explosion",or "La Godasse" ("the shoe"),is a very swinging waltz by Murena and Marcel Azzola,here played by Azzola."Gallito" is a paso-doble,and I hate paso dobles,so I won't write about it."Inutil" is a beautiful tango,played by J.P.Coustillas on bandoneon."Mirabelle" is a masterpiece written by Charley Bazin,and played by Marc Perrone."Dans ma verdine" is another tune by Privat,played by the elder Armand Lassagne;he plays with an old sound,but with very fresh ideas."Swing valse" is Baro Ferret's masterpiece,played by Michel Macias."Indiférence",one of Murena's greatest compositions,introduces the accordions of Jacques Bolognesi and Francis Varis.Finally,Didi Duprat's "douce réflexion",with Azzola's accordion,concludes the record.
The freshness and swing of these talented interpretations of some very great waltzes make us feel like if we were in a dancing,in Paris,some fifty years before;there is youth in this music,even if most of the tunes were written before Second World War.This was a kind of combining french popular music ,and jazz,and gipsy music,that was really successful.A very good tribute to what happened every Saturday and Sunday in Paris,many years ago."