[Dixielandjazz] French Traditional Jazz

[Jerry Brown]

Hi,

As a matter of interest why should one include traditional jazz in a festival celebrating all things French. Creole tradition from New Orleans together with the dialect is basically French so use 'El Las Bas' and other New Orleans material in cajun. There are plenty of examples of cajun-french traditional jazz in the recordings of Billie and DeDe Pierce plus some singing in dialect by Lizzie Miles in the Club Hangover recordings.

Maybe however the Canadian's would not be too pleased at being reminded that the cajun settlement in the Louisiana area was the result of their eviction from Canada during the Seven Years war in the middle of the 18th Century.

Apart from the creole and cajun influence I think the French have had little or nothing to do with traditional jazz although there are some excellent bands playing the music in France - and usually singing in English!

There is one session of French songs that can be recommended as they include French lyrics and many of the tunes of French origin. On 22nd December 1960 Kid Ory and his band together with an unknown singer cut 14 tracks probably intended for the French market but never released until they were included in the Mosaic set of the complete Kid Ory Verve recordings (MD8-189) which is now out of print I believe. The tracks include "Blanche Touquatoux" / "Au Clair De La Lune" / "L'Aloutte" / "Le Roi Dagobert" / "Frere Jacques" and some are a little strange to say the least with the lady vocalist certainly being no Billie Holiday or Bessie Smith!

Cheers,

Jerry
Norwich,
U.K.


--- On Sun, 15/2/09, Kevin Yeates <kyeates at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Kevin Yeates <kyeates at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] French Traditional Jazz
> To: "Jerry Brown" <jazzjerry at btinternet.com>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Date: Sunday, 15 February, 2009, 6:07 PM
> I am looking to submit my band's application to a local
> festival that celebrates all things French.  We play
> traditioal jazz and am hoping we can do a set of French
> pieces.  Sidney Bechet is an obvious souce but everythhig
> of his I have heard is instrumental.  I am wanting to have
> many vocal charts in French.  
>  
> I have found some New Orlenas stuff with French titles but
> no Frecnh lyrics.Eh La Bas is a no-brainer but unfortunately
> my knowledge of tunes with French Lyrics ends there. The
> only lyrics I have for Creole Belles are in English. 
>  
> Does anyone have some ideas of some New Orleans trad jazz
> tunes that have French lyrics?
>  
> Kevin Yeates
> Vancovuer, Canada
> 
> 
>       
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