MICHEL LEGRAND - Paris Jazz Piano (1959-2000) Jazz In Paris 32 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Near the beginning of his career, Michel Legrand was primarily known as a jazz pianist, so it shouldn't be surprising to learn that none of his compositions are present on these 1959 studio sessions, which were issued by Phillips. With bassist Guy Pederson and drummer Gus Wallez, Legrand covers songs by French composers of the day along with the ever-popular "Moulin Rouge" and a somewhat upbeat arrangement of Edith Piaf's usually maudlin "La Vie en Rose," as well as standards from the Great American Songbook by Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Vernon Duke, and Mack Gordon. Most of the songs have a Parisian theme to them. Legrand's piano style is hard to define, as he shows a variety of influences without letting any of them overwhelm his sound. His eventual fame as a composer would grow tremendously during the decades that followed the making of this recording, but this LP from the Jazz in Paris series is well worth purchasing to get a taste of his early career. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Sous Les Ponts De Paris 2:55
Jean Rodor / Vincent Scotto
2     Paris In the Spring 3:32
Harry Revel
3     April In Paris 5:14
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
4     Sous Le Ciel De Paris 1:51
Jean Dréjac / H. Giraud
5     Paris Canaille 2:04
Léo Ferré
6     Paris, Je T'aime... D'amour 4:24
Henri Battaille / Victor Schertzinger
7     I Love Paris 2:52
Cole Porter
8     The Last Time I Saw Paris 2:25
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
9     Moulin Rouge 2:41
Georges Auric / Bill Engvick
10     La Vie En Rose 3:08
Marcel Louiguy / Édith Piaf
Credits :
Double Bass – Guy Pedersen
Drums, Bongos – Gus Wallez
Piano – Michel Legrand
Nota :
Recorded 1959 at the Blanqui studio, Paris: on October 20 (5, 7, 10), October 21 (1, 9), October 23 (8) and November 9 (2, 3, 6)
Reissue of the Philips LP 76 519