"Django Chanté" - CD Critique - Besprechungen - Reviews - Recensies - Críticas

Well, you get the picture. I like this CD

Every once in a while, I hear a truly refreshing CD - one that makes your ears want to dance around on top of your head. This is it! It's unpretentious, happy to be alive, and come share our musical fun type music.

Though his was a short life, Django Reinhardt provided the only true European contribution to jazz. Django was a swing guitarist with both proverbial virtuosity and a penchant for writing beautiful music. Polytour adds two guitars, a bass and a violin and J-P's musette accordion. Then, as the liner notes say, "as icing on the cake, the lyrics to the Django numbers are sung beautifully in exemplary French by the light, clear and slightly melancholic voice of J-P."

Tim Kliphuis is the special guest added to this CD. Classically trained at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Kliphuis has been concertmaster of the Ricciotti symphonic orchestra ensemble with repertoire ranging from classical to pop.

Polytour has toured in the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland and Canada

The recording opens with the title track, Swing Reverie, a very infectious, joyful swing romp. If you don't come away from hearing this track singing, "Swing, Swing" you need to get the wax cleaned out of your ears! J-P's vocals throughout are par excellence. The second track I've heard before but I can't quite place the melody. It's a slow swing, fox-trot. J-P's musette makes a very nice parallel to his voice. Track 3 features his musette in a classic French waltz. Very nice breath control and accents. A chorus or two are handed over Jan de Jong for a solo. Buy this CD for either of these first three cuts alone!

Billets doux starts with a slow guitar melody then breaks into a Grappelli-like swing featuring Tim Kliphuis. J-P adds a vocal chorus followed by a musette chorus. The lead is handed back to Jan then Tim then J-P wraps it all back up. Nuages has violin and guitar on the intro. Bass and rhythm guitar are added for the remaining choruses. J-P adds a few, slower, final vocal choruses. (I can almost understand the French lyrics the way J-P sings them.)

Pres de vous starts with solo musette then adds the rest of the band. I may be mixing musical metaphors here but I can picture Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing along with this tune. Larmes, Je t'aime ... Well, you get the picture. I like this CD. These tracks keep your attention by shifting the lead among the different musicians. It sounds like a lot more than 5 instruments and 1 voice but who's counting? Very nice shifting too, between major and minor keys; and between different tempi.
This CD was a wonderful, delightful discovery. Playing this recording is just like having your very own French cafe. It's the Joie de Vivre!

The Free-Reed Review Review by Thomas Fabinski USA

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