Room With A View (Chambre Avec Vue)

Henri Salvador

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: February 12, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B00005Y1YI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #69,093 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Indie Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > France

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

American audiences will embrace Henri Salvador like he's a Grandpa Moses of bossa nova. It's not every day that an eightysomething crooner steps out of U.S. obscurity with an album of warm-as-fresh-pastry cabaret music. Of course, Salvador is no Henri-come-lately. He's famous in France and francophone former colonies (like his native Cayenne, French Guiana) and has decades of television and recording work to his credit. Now, it's time for stateside listeners to play catch-up. This album was reportedly recorded on the verge of Salvador's retirement, and though the sound is classique, many of the songs are of recent vintage. Salvador's charming, half-spoken vocals will resound with listeners familiar with the suave stylings of cabaret practitioners such as Charles Trenet and Walter Hyatt. There's also a bit of Danny Kaye in his phrasing on the album's lighter fare, like the brass-band-flavored "Mademoiselle"--no surprise given Salvador's extensive comedic résumé. Younger audiences primed by the ironic, sophisticated grooves of Dimitiri from Paris and Money Mark will delight in much of the instrumentation here. The album is, in fact, a triumph of production and arranging. Full orchestras are cued, at times, at the same volume as a single instrument, reduced to the level of pure atmosphere. One track, "Il fait Dimanche," has a funky vamp that demands to be sampled for the contemporary dance floor. Another, "Faire des ronds dans l'eau," subsists on strummed guitar and a trap set, with the occasional gypsy-style, savory violin part added for spice. Throughout, Salvador presents himself as an astute, sympathetic performer. On "Je sais que tu sais" it's hard to tell where his whispered voice ends and the drummer's light brushes begin. Apparently, swingers--in the jazz sense of the word--get better with age. --Marc Weidenbaum

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect, April 29, 2002

By	Steven C. Moore (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This is indeed an exquisite album--evoking the romance of Europe and France in particular, wonderful street cafes, jazzy nightspots...humorous, romantic, at times even beautiful, ideal cocktail party or late night music...EXCEPT for the very first track, which sticks out like a sore thumb, with an obnoxious "jazz" harmony vocal out of character with the rest of the disc and which, simply put, just grates. If you can stomach that one, the rest is pure bliss. I burned the CD to another disc, deleting the first track, and I've been in heaven ever since.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A surprising but amazing contribution from Salvador, February 14, 2004

By	Vranjo (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

So many artists (and voices) get threadbare with age. Only a few are lucky enough to find a way to keep some of their old color or adapt with the times. Even more rare is the artist who, after a career of decent (but rarely great) output, produces a stunner. That is the case with "Chambre Avec Vue."

I know there are Salvador stalwarts out there who will protest my characterization of Henri as being generally just OK, and I agree he released several standout songs throughout his long career. But those standouts are watered down by so many recordings that are "just a bit too." Just a bit too sentimental. Just a bit too comical. Or just a bit too out-of-genre for Henri to carry. Salvador's early background in cabaret, his affection for a variety of musical styles, and his associations with a wide range of musical greats (everyone from Django Reinhardt to Quincy Jones) have resulted in an impressive (and no doubt enjoyable) but flawed career.

With "Chambre Avec Vue," Salvador has taken the best of what he does well and has improved on it by performing with more wisdom than whimsy, more expertise than experimentation, and more authentic sentiment than unselfconscious sappiness. I agree with another reviewer that the influence of Benjamin Biolay (who has been associated with a few really great albums lately) cannot be underestimated on this album. But regardless of who you think deserves the credit, this is truly an album for those who like nuanced, toasted jazz vocals. Yes, it's all in French, and the album is packed with more international influences (notably bossa nova) than the average jazz vocal album. But on "Chambre Avec Vue," Salvador sounds as relaxed as Bing Crosby, as seasoned as recent Tony Bennett, and as melancholy as Chet Baker. That adds up to a surprising and welcome addition to the Salvador oeuvre.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars French and more french, March 11, 2002

By	Jim (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I cannot believe that no one else has reviewed this really wonderful album. Perfect for you who like mellow, simple voices and lovely, melancholy songs. If you find a wild violet from the yard and warm breezes across your naked body to be something great you will love this album.