Greetings, friends.
I know I've been on a hiatus, and all that, but I've been with your lot in spirit...anyway I need your help:)

I work in a beautiful bar, it's old, brings you back to a bygone era when you're inside enjoying cocktails. Long story short: I used to be able to play my own music to fit the mood and damn did it! Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Ella, Count Basie, plethora local talent, etc. Anyway, the owner wants to make it the only place one will stumble in where French Music is playing. Fine. I don't mind French Music, only it's Celine Dion and she doesn't belong in my bar. It's an old timey bar, very cigar friendly...and in NEW ORLEANS!
Jazz made it to France, and Belgium, I know it did!
Anyway, my pleade is to find other French Jazz/Songbook. I have Edith Piaf, Charles Aznevore, Renaud...but I need more. If it has to be French, fine, it isn't my bar, but, the guests are so quiet when this crap French Elevator Music is filling the atmosphere. People walk in and walk out...it's too quiet.
Off topic- I'm staring an Anti-Celine Dion Fan Club, seriously, I hate her...yes, I said the "H" word.
Back to topic, please help.

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Doxy, there are multiple music threads in media whores, plus there is the general knowledge base and the community forum.

doxy (welcome back!)

have you listend to madeline peyroux?
she is french canadien and sounds very much like Billie Holiday, only sings partly in french.
her music is infused with cajun & is also occasionally very fun & lively as well.
one of my favorite songs is la deux amore (she sings of paris & new york but mine would be paris & chicago ) & I have several of her cd's.
Love. Her.

ps: I am SO with you on the hating of celine deion; she always looks like her giganto head is much too heavy to be supported by her twig neck & starved body and reminds me too much of Lady Elaine the puppet. that her music is as annoying as hell is just a sidebar.

What about Django Reinhardt? Stephane Grappelli?

Does it only have to be French music with vocals?

La Bottine Souriante (http://www.bottinesouriante.com -- I can't get the link business to work), a French Canadian band, does a lot of french "heritage" music--celtic/acadian/cajun/jazz


Celine Dion hasn't recorded in French since I was in my teens. How does she even qualify as "french"?

Thank you both, yes it has to be french vocals.
I love Madeline Peyroux, and django and grapelli, only it has to be vocals and such. Isn't there song book in French? I know jazz made it there and Belgium.
Agreed, it should be in other threads but I haven't posted in a while and forgot.
THanks for the posts.

It has to have vocals? Wow. Even though Django and Grapelli are so often associated with all things French?

What about Francoise Hardy? She was a big pop star in the 60's and 70's and popular all over the world, not just in France.
There is also the Singing Nun. Yes, she was a nun, and she sang and played guitar, a big hit was "Dominique" (Never mind, how I know about this). Or, that french cover of the Jet Boy/Jet Girl tune they're using on a pepsi commercial at the moment...

I have heard Grapelli's accompaniment with vocalists--most recently with Molly Johnson. However, it was on a tune with English lyrics. Molly herself has quite a following in France so you may find something in her albums you could use.

Also: Eartha Kitt and Nina Simone. Nina Simone, who ends the whole Before Sunrise/Before Sunset story, quintessentially French! She has many recordings in the french language. If you only play Piaf people will be driven mad--so, also play La Vie en Rose from Grace Jones' album in the 80's.

doxy, i can't think of any names off hand, but there is lots of francophone african music out there that *i* would call jazz. let me ask some of my friends - i'll get some names for you if you think that would work. i mean if CELINE DION can be considered french (gag) then certainly french speaking africans can!!!

I guess you wouldn't call Les Nubians jazz, but its lively, and francophone.