What a small world.Р вЂќР’В¬hene Noir is a theatre in Avignon. The opening track of our acclaimed compilation Freedom Jazz France, I just discovered that the mastering for the album was done by AndrР вЂњР’В© PР вЂњР’В©riat (aka DР вЂњР’В©dР вЂњР’В©), who cuts all the lacquers for Heavenly Sweetness. A first version of the song was recorded on ESP under the name The Levitts (featuring a band with friends and the whole family). I never get enough of this track from the solo album by Stella Levitt, the wife of drummer Al Levitt who plays on this album.

A song which goes back to my childhood and which always moves me. Usually the results werenР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћt the best, but here the sublime Jeanne Moreau sings this beautiful track for the OST of Marguerite DurasР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћ India Song. Many French actors and actresses of the Р Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћ60s were also singers. He created his own studio and label (Palm) to record and produce new talent and struck his own path away from the French jazz mainstream. This track is from a 1965 big band album but his whole discography is incredible.

ItР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs hard to speak about Jef Gilson because he is such a hero and we are still discovering his legacy. Р Р†Р вЂљР’ВModalitР вЂњР’В© pour MimiР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћ from Jef Gilson A GaveauР вЂќР вЂћ song for Mimi Perrin, singer and founder of Les Double Six. Their first LP was produced by Quincy Jones, and features a beautiful cover of ColtraneР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs Р Р†Р вЂљР’ВNaimaР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћ. One of the most popular bands of the late Р Р†Р вЂљР’В50s/ early Р Р†Р вЂљР’В60s was the vocal ensemble Les Double Six. With post WW2 enthusiasm and the presence of several American musicians, the jazz scene was very active in France from the Р Р†Р вЂљР’В50s onwards. With one of the labelР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs recruits, Florian Pellissier, on his way to London to play a special French jazz night at Church of Sound later this month, we asked label head Franck Descollonges to put together a primer for the uninitiated in a typically unorthodox 17-record list. Often playing in the same bands, the music was charged with an urgency not heard in the laboured efforts of other European jazz scenes to emulate established bop tropes rather than create new forms.Р вЂќР’В¬ontinuing this tradition is Parisian label Heavenly Sweetness, one of the countryР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs most exciting labels, just as happy reissuing rare gems, as on the now legendary Freedom Jazz France compilation, as they are releasing new music. Like jazzР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs roots in the USA, FranceР Р†Р вЂљРІвЂћСћs multi-cultural history played a vital role in the multi-faceted development of its own sound, drawing on chanson as much as West Indian styles and African rhythms, alongside more classical European forms.

From bop titans like Dexter Gordon to cornerstones of the avant garde Art Ensemble of Chicago, Paris was something of a kindred spirit across the Atlantic. No country in Europe has so successfully assimilated jazz into its musical history as France.Р вЂќР вЂЎor many American jazz musicians, France was something of a home from home, one that offered both creative, spiritual and often racial freedoms not afforded in the United States.

French cafe music genre