Accordion Bonanza!

Cuimean

Well, not quite a bonanza, but I did find two really cool accordion LPs while record shopping this weekend. First was "Balajo No. 1" by Jo Privat. I can't find a date printed on the album, but I'm guessing that it's from the mid-'60s, as Jo's famous sideburns had yet to make an appearance. Here's the track listing:

Side 1 -

Balajo
L'abeille de Montmartre
Como un amor (Le temps est loin)
Dos caballos en el sol (Deux chevaux dans le soleil)
Sa petite java
Rock accordéon
Atomic swing

Side 2 -

Cauchemar
Modern' valse
Milonga sentimental
Adios pampa mia
La java part en java
Zampano
Coplas

The first two tunes on the second side are especially fun. The photo on the album cover has me scratching my head over a couple of things. The guitarist has a nifty sunburst Selmer-shaped guitar with di Mauro-style f-holes and a big single-coil pickup. Oh, and it has a regular trapeze-style tailpiece. Anyone know the make? Also, the bassist has a bizarre instrument - it's a deep archtop guitar body with a pickup and five strings. Odd.

Anyway, my second find was a 10" record by Yvette Horner et son Ensemble Musette put out by Pathé. It contains the following:

Side 1 -

Un petit bout de satin
Domino
Au loin dans la plaine
En fleche

Side 2 -

La petite valse
Montagnes d'Itale
Montagnes Russes
Un cordial saludo

I haven't had a chance to listen to this one yet. I'll post a follow-up if it's any good.

Who knew LA was such a hotbed of old French music?

(I also found a George Brassens LP that has an interesting picture on the back. It's an ad for a Felix Leclerc album, and the cover is an illustration of him holding a Selmer with a cool checkered binding. I've seen his name around but never heard his music. Anyone know anything about him?)

brandoneon

Great title for a post! And that Jo Privat album looks great. As for the Yvette Horner LP, my money's on the side that you won't like it ... I think her musette borders more on muzak.

Cuimean wrote:

(I also found a George Brassens LP that has an interesting picture on the back. It's an ad for a Felix Leclerc album, and the cover is an illustration of him holding a Selmer with a cool checkered binding. I've seen his name around but never heard his music. Anyone know anything about him?)

Is this the image you found? His expression seems to beckon: "Rod, look me up on wikipedia!"

Cuimean

Actually, the Yvette Horner record is not bad at all. It's pretty straight musette stuff, played with skill by her and a barely-audible band. It sounds like the stuff on the "Accordeons au feminin" comp but with better recording quality. I was afraid it would be ultra cheesy, like the "Accordion on the Left Bank" record by Micele Samson and his Orchestra that I picked up a while ago.

Oh yeah, Wikipedia. I've heard of that thing. It's on the Interweb, right? :oops: Well, that's a different picture of Leclerc, but it seems to be the same guitar. I know it's not right to ogle a guitar on an accordion forum, but I can't help but pointing out the cool binding and fret markers on that one. It's a beaut!

brandoneon

Cuimean wrote:

Actually, the Yvette Horner record is not bad at all. It's pretty straight musette stuff, played with skill by her and a barely-audible band.

I owe you one!

Cuimean wrote:

Well, that's a different picture of Leclerc, but it seems to be the same guitar. I know it's not right to ogle a guitar on an accordion forum, but I can't help but pointing out the cool binding and fret markers on that one. It's a beaut!

Yes it is a nice one!
Brassens and Leclerc seem to be cut from the same cloth. They're both pipe-smoking, French-speaking "folkies" ... and to bring this topic back into the relevance of the larger forum ... they play guitars made by gypsy jazz luthiers! (Brassens's guitar was made by Favino ... I wonder if Leclerc's is a Favino also?)