Dizzy on the French Riviera (Dig) [Original recording remastered]

Chris White, Dizzy Gillespie, Lalo Schifrin, Leo Wright | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 14, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B001UE27U6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,510 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Produced by Sergio Mendes for A&M and wielding a sound comparable to Brasil '66, Bossa Rio boasted two bona-fide Brazilian stars in their ranks: Manfredo Fest and Pery Ribeiro. CD debut for this jazzy bossa-nova gem!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dizzy Gypsy, June 21, 2006

By 

Dennis G. Voss Jr. (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dizzy on the French Riviera (Audio CD)

Three years ago I wrote an Amazon review of this recording, praising the music featured on it and bemoaning that the CD had been out of print for more than 15 years. Now that the CD has become available as part of Verve's "Originals" series, I am thrilled to be able to revise the review to provide more consumer information:

"Dizzy on the French Riviera" combines music from two of Gillespie's 1962 small-group sessions, a June session recorded in France (Juan-Les-Pins) that reportedly produced tracks 1, 5 & 7 and a May session actually recorded in NYC that produced the remainder. The recordings are unified, though, by the presence of two unique soloists sharing the limelight with Dizzy -- Texan Leo Wright on woodwinds and South American composer Lalo Schifrin on piano, both of whom would be replaced in Gillespie's entourage within the year -- as well as by a decidedly exotic flavor combining bossa nova composition, multiple percussionists, and occasional gypsy-jazz guitar with Gillespie's growing tendency toward Afro-Cuban flavors in his soloing. Schifrin, best known as the composer of catchy TV themes such as "Mission Impossible" and the bossa nova groove of "I Dream of Jeannie," is astonishingly good whether taking the lead or comping behind the other soloists. His solo on "Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)" is so full of ideas that it feels as though they could have just played that song for the rest of the album. Wright's performances on alto and flute, meanwhile, will leave you wondering why he never achieved the fame of successor James Moody. And while the work by Hungarian guitarist Elek Bacsik, a cousin of Django Reinhardt, may not quite stand out at the same level, it lends a unique tone and is certainly not boring.

Maybe the most important thing, though, is that this music is just so good and so FUN at the same time. Dizzy's not serving up "intellectual" jazz here, despite the great skill and intellect that no doubt went into it. The recording begins and ends with the sound of children playing in the waves, and it's not hard to listen to all the delicious noises in between as one extended tone poem celebrating the emotions of a long, long summer. Despite the complexity, parts of it just make me want to dance, but it also finds time to explore happiness, laziness, mystery, and melancholy. Put all these elements together, and you can see why used LP versions of this recording regularly fetched more than $30 while the CD was out of print. My recommendation is to grab a copy before the same regrettable situation arises again: Dizzy on the French Riviera

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific album, March 13, 2006

By 

G. F. Meister "Music Life" (Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dizzy on the French Riviera (Audio CD)

The sound of waves and childrens voices at the start and finish of the album conjure sunshine and good feelings, and frame some of the best jazz ever. This is an enchanting album, and contains the best versions of some of Dizzy finest compositions, played by a group that really feels like it's together... Dizzy plays with heart, eschewing his all too typical excess showmanship, Lalo Schifrin plays some his best piano solos, foregoing movie cliches, Leo Wright's flute and sax are splendid, Pepito Riestria's percussion and the rhythm section of Rudy Collins and Chris White really move, and as a special bonus, a couple of tracks feature neglected Hungarian gypsy jazz guitarist Elek Bacsik. I can't understand why this album has not been released on CD.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Small Group Live Gillespie, April 17, 2009

By 

Oldnslow (Seattle, Washington USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dizzy on the French Riviera (Dig) (Audio CD)

This magnificant live performance from Jan Les Pins in 1962 has finally been released on CD!!. It was always one of Gillespie's best---along with another live recording by the same group (Leo Wright, alto and flute, Lalo Schiffran, piano and most significantly, arranger, Chris White, and Rudy Collins) called "An Electrifying Evening With the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet" on Verve (which was, and hopefully still is, available on a Verve CD reissue). I believe these are the only two recordings of this fabulous group, and both are essential. Gillespie was at his best, Leo Wright is simply on fire on alto, and the kicker is the amazing piano and arranging of Schiffran. This CD conveys the wonderful seaside atmosphere of Juan Les Pins, and the addition of a percussionist and a guitarist add to the authentic flavor of the occasion. Snatch this one up, as well as the other live recording CD by this short-lived group.