Paris

Putumayo Presents | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 18, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Putumayo World Music
• ASIN: B000E6UX20
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,199 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #6 in Music > Pop > Euro Pop > French Pop
  • #8 in Music > Pop > Euro Pop > General

Track Listings

1. Au Cafe De La Paix - Thomas Fersen

2. Samba De Mon Coeur Qui Bat - Coralie Clement

3. Dites Moi Tu - Karpatt

4. Quelqu'un M'a Dit - Carla Bruni

5. Je Reste Au Lit - Pascal Parisot

6. Jardin D'Hiver - Keren Ann

7. Serre-Moi - Tryo

8. Lettre A P... - Paris Combo

9. L'ongle - Presque Oui

10. Ta P'tite Flamme - Amelie-Les-Crayons

11. Les Pages - Myrtille

12. Carpe Diem - Aldebert

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Many Putumayo compilations fail to capture the essence of a specific region by focusing on music that is simply too polite for its own good. When it comes to the languid charms of French chanson, however, the label has always excelled. An indispensable companion to the previously released French Café Paris focuses on the renaissance of French popular music in the hands of artists such as the raspy voiced Thomas Fersen, supermodel-turned-songwriter Carla Bruni and the ineffable Paris Combo-- arguably, the one group that started the smoky cabaret song revival in the mid-'90s. An air of luxury and languor defines the 12 tracks here, from the breezy bossa nova of Coralie Clément's "Samba de Mon Coeur Qui Bat" ("Samba of my Beating Heart") to the accordion laced atmospherics of Amelie-Les-Crayons and the wistful "Ta P'tite Flamme" ("Your Little Flame"). Judging by this disc, contemporary French pop may very well be one of the most exciting musical movements in the world right now. --Ernesto Lechner

Product Description

Very traditional in its sound, chanson was rediscovered and revamped in the late 50s and early 60s before it once again became passé with younger audiences, who embraced rock and pop as the sound of their generation. Now, forty years later, a new school of musicians has given a fresh voice to this vintage sound, creating the nouvelle scène (new scene) that is all the rage in Paris. Putumayo Presents Paris is an introduction to a vibrant group of artists out to prove that this is not your grandma’s chanson. Paris makes the perfect companion piece to the hugely successful French Café.

Time races on, and a new generation of musicians set the stage for the future by looking to the past. Putumayo invites you to experience this new wave of classic music.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated to Terre des Hommes in support of their efforts to provide active support to disadvantaged children around the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SIX STARS IF I COULD...., September 20, 2006

By 

R. Penola (NYC, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paris (Audio CD)

I was shopping for some cards the other day and heard delightful music and a Frenchman's lilting voice singing playing the store - followed by an equally gorgeous woman's voice singing French pop. I lingered through about 5 songs, long enough to know I NEEDED this CD. There is not one cut on this expertly chosen collection that is not fantastically melodic and beautiful, and all of the artists are great. And you will have no problem translating the French into something emotional - warmly appealing - even if, like me, you can't speak a word of it. I love this album and have listened to it several times every day since I bought it. Now I'm planning a trip to Paris...as soon as possible!

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nouvelle French Chanson Thrives in the Global Village, May 21, 2006

By 

Ed Uyeshima (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paris (Audio CD)

As a sequel of sorts to last year's catchy throwback to French chanson, "French Cafe", a new collection of cafe-style chansons has been released by the world music label Putumayo but this time solely with contemporary singers inspired by the likes of Serge Gainsbourg and Edith Piaf - a movement called appropriately "nouvelle chanson". The result is pleasing and sometimes quite luminous but often lacking the wine-soaked gravitas of the original artists from the 1950's and 60's. As compensation, these artists seem to embrace the world music scene with enthusiasm as they easily incorporate sounds that would seem at odds with the Gallic-centric music.

On "Au Cafe de la Paix", Thomas Fersen starts things off with a deceptively buoyant tune that describes a man waiting at a cafe for a woman who never comes. Coralie Clement brings a Brazilian bossa nova backbeat to "Samba de Mon Coeur Qui Bat", as Pascal Parisot does similarly to his ennui-filled "Je Reste Au Lit", which sounds like it would fit right in on the Riviera circa 1965. A nice gypsy jazz feel pervades both Karpatt's "Dites Moi Tu" featuring guest singer Fleur, and Paris Combo's "Lettre A P...", a downbeat waltz with an effectively muted trumpet underlining singer Belle du Berry. Cara Bruni's folkish "Quelqu'un M'a Dit" is a high point with her breathless lyrics wafting over a strumming acoustic guitar.

Global vibes abound with Keren Ann, who lends a darker, Latin-tinged tone to "Jardin D'Hiver", and Myrtille, who seems to bring a whole third world beat to "Les Pages". Sounding like a Gallic version of Men at Work, Tryo performs "Serre-Moi" with jaunty fervor. There are a couple of songs that border on the strange. Preque Oui's "L'ongle (The Fingernail)" is an odd little track about the personal remnants lovers leave behind, while the circus has apparently come to town in Amelie-Les-Crayons' "Ta P'tite Flamme" with a sad accordion accompanying her forlorn vocal. Aldebert ends the disc with the hopeful, country-twanged "Carpe Diem". It's quite a hodgepodge but one that works well together as a collection, providing ample proof that French chanson is here to stay. As with "French Cafe", Putumayo has included an informative booklet that gives a thumbnail sketch of each artist and describes the genesis of each song.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cool and seductive., March 10, 2007

By 

Adarsh Amin - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paris (Audio CD)

Why is it so easy to sound cool and seductive when singing in French? The language seems to demand a dulcet, husky singing voice that implies the song was composed, practiced and recorded in a bed.
Packed with some of the best, chilled French café songs of the moment, Paris is this summer's essential for barbeques, soirées, dinner parties or possibly just for those hot nights in.

From Coralie Clément singing seductively about the "Samba de Mon Coeur Qui Bat" to the equally seductive Carla Bruni's "Quelqu'un M'a Dit", Keren Ann's "Jardin d'Hiver" -- which she whispers rather than sings -- and Karpatt's caressed and tapped acoustic guitar, this is a compilation of class and smooth charm.

While Paris recalls the heyday of French chanson it is a thoroughly modern mix from the nouvelle scène. It's entirely easy listening -- nothing from the outer reaches of French culture here.

Part of the proceeds from each CD sold goes to Terre des Hommes, who support disadvantaged children around the world, so you can feel good about your purchase while humming along to the catchy tunes.