JAZZ TIMES MAGAZINE from the April 2006 issue
RAQUEL BITTON
Paris Blues (Raquel Bitton)
www.raquelbitton.com
Last year, Dee Dee Bridgewater became the Gene Kelly of jazz, celebrating the joys of being an American in Paris with the Gallic valentine J'ai Deux Amours. Now, bona fide Parisian chanteuse Raquel Bitton is following suit, this time with an intriguing retro spin, paying track-by-track homage to 11 showbiz legends--Django Reinhardt, Sidney Bechet, Jean Sablon, Lucienne Delyle and Leo Marjane among them--who gave musical delineation to the arc of emotions that defined Paris prior to, during and immediately following the Second World War.
Even if you don't understand a word of French, it's impossible not to appreciate the raw grandeur of Bitton (who, as she's previously proven on CD and in various stage tributes, sounds precisely like a latter-day Edith Piaf) as she so expertly captures the smoky sophistication of Reinhardt's "Nuages" or the succulent joie de vivre of Bechet's "Petite Fleur" or, most profoundly, the gutsy magnificence of Marjane's "Je Suis Seule ce Soir."
-Christopher Loudon
Rasputin Manifesto/By Michael Fortes
Raquel Bitton
Paris Blues
(RB Records)
When music transports you far away to desired places you can't get to otherwise, or simply can't afford at the moment, it's successful on a very important level. Raquel Bitton's Paris Blues hasn't been released yet as of this writing (it is scheduled to hit stores on the 21st of February), but I can already tell you it's an unqualified success.
Bitton's sweet, quavering yet controlled voice evokes the feeling of early 20th century Paris like few others singing in this day and age. She gives moving readings of Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur," Django Reinhardt's "Nuages," and the Billie Holiday-associated "I'm A Fool To Want You." Singing in both French and English, Bitton also takes us directly to the streets of Paris by including songs originally recorded by French jazz singers Lucienne Delyle, Suzy Solidor and Leo Marjane.
To top it off, Bitton's accompaniment is stellar throughout, with a piano-bass-drums rhythm section augmented by violin, guitar, mandolin, and a full bevy of horns and strings in tasteful arrangements.
2006 could be a big year for this Bay Area resident, as Paris Blues coincides with the release of the concert film "Piaf…Her Story…Her Songs," in which Bitton is documented singing twenty Edith Piaf songs in tribute to the late French chanteuse. Keep an eye and an ear open…
Jazz Trenzz: Raquel Bitton "Paris Blues" (RB Records 2006) Posted by: adminon Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 08:16 AM
By Karl Stober
The moods and ambiance of Paris light up even brighter however with a more sensual tone as Raquel Bitton vocalizes the times then to the emotions now of that passionate city. Paris Blues released by RB Records in early 2006 has all the fire and intensity of an era filled with diverse attitudes. In Piafesque fashion Bitton releases vocally a splendid and compassionate expose of Paris 1940's style.
Whether the spins remind you of a night melting of romantic passion or of decanter of Bordeaux at a hidden Café the tones seem to fit the feel of the moment. The arrangements have been calculated with mood as the catalyst in many of the cuts however its Bitton's delivery which ignited this travelogue of sound through Paris.
One spin, which opens the listener's imagination, is “Paris S'eveille La Nuit” an Amaila Rodrigues classic that allows Bitton the luxury of expanding her talent. The flow and distinct tones of this piece conveys the disposition and texture of her talent.
The gayety of the French of that era is displayed flawlessly in the Suzy Solidor cut “Escale” which Bitton performs magically. Sultry is style Bitton expounds on the truest of Solidor's compassion for her craft and country. The arrangement has captured the talents of Bitton along with the atmosphere of the times, very nice job!
Bitton along with an orchestra of fine talents has crafted with triumph a feel of an era, an era of turmoil and tension. Justifiably liberated by romance of country and belief in a people. Bitton's tones are eloquent almost angelic at times during the compositions. This is a select representation in jazz of Paris then portrayed now!
KHS
French jazz singer and recording artist Raquel Bitton is recognized as the foremost singer of French music in America today and has been internationally reviewed as the greatest interpreter of the music from the Edith Piaf repertoire.
Born in Marrakesh, Morocco, Ms. Bitton was already enthralling audiences at the Casino de Marrakesh (where the classic film Casablanca was partially shot) at the age of 11. When she was a teenager, Raquel and her family moved to San Francisco where she began her American career, focusing on the songs from the French l’Age d’Or. She discovered her French repertoire by dusting off her father’s old records that he brought with him to America.
Raquel was drawn to the passionate melodies and lyrics of the romantic period of the 1930’s and 1940’s and quickly mastered many of the songs from the era of Charles Trenet, Jean Sablon, and Josephine Baker, to name a few. Raquel’s insatiable appetite for songs of the heart led her to the Edith Piaf songbook. Raquel became not only an expert historian on the life and songs of Edith Piaf, but also a renowned interpreter of her music, singularly able to capture the complete essence of one of the great vocalists of the 20th Century.
Raquel is currently performing her hit show, Raquel Bitton sings Edith Piaf, her story…her songs, at notable concert halls throughout North America. The tour opened in January 2000 with 3 sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall(Capacity 3000 seat theater).
In this presentation, Bitton celebrates the extraordinary life of the legendary Piaf through her songs. A 20-piece orchestra backs Bitton’s one-woman tribute to the “little sparrow.” Elegant orchestrations are arranged by long-time collaborator Bob Holloway. Bitton tells stories of Piaf’s life that mirror the timeless songs that catapulted Piaf from singing in the streets of Paris as a child to becoming the highest paid entertainer in the world at the time. Bitton’s unique, heartfelt renditions (sung in French) and her powerful delivery take her audience on an intensely moving and emotional journey.
Singing in French and English, Raquel has developed a variety of additional elegant French-themed presentations including “Pops goes to Paris,” “Postcards from Paris,” “Chansons d’Amour,” and “In a Jazzy Mood.”
Raquel Bitton has recorded 6 albums to date: “I Wish You Love”, “Changes”, “Dream a little dream” and “In a Jazzy Mood” (in collaboration with the legendary composer Paul Misraki), and most recently, Raquel Bitton Sings Edith Piaf: The Golden Album. Liz Smith, Syndicated Columnist, said, “RAQUEL BITTON’S CD TRIBUTE TO EDITH PIAF IS TERRIFIC!”
This recording can be found on the OMTOWN label of Higher Octave Music, a division of NARADA records.
And “Dream a little dream”
Critics unanimously agree that passion is at the core of Raquel Bitton’s extraordinary talent. Her powerful delivery is deeply moving and an unforgettable experience for her audience.
“MAGNIFICENT, EMOTIONAL, MESMERIZING…. Musically stunning' Bitton’s impassioned delivery has a trance-like effect on a listener. Piaf and Billie Holiday share a poignancy that few others have mastered; Bitton, here, is one.” Phil Elwood, San Francisco Examiner
“BITTON’S VOCALS…HONORED PIAF’S STYLE without strictly imitating it. No one could live up to a legend so inflated, but a bright interpreter like Ms. Bitton certainly can illuminate it.” Ann Powers, The New York Times
“BITTON OFFERS TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO PIAF. Bitton delivered a performance that would surely have been touching even to someone who’d never heard of Piaf. Classic pieces such as Sous le ciel de Paris; Milord; Non, je ne regrette rien; and, of course, La vie en rose triggered ecstatic applause from a packed crowd.” Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times
“THERE IS THE UNMISTAKABLE PASSION Ms. Bitton brings to her invocation of the Piaf vocal spirit.” Barry Singer, The New York Times
“PIAF IS BORN AGAIN – RAQUEL BITTON BRINGS A LEGEND BACK TO LIFE. Raquel Bitton went straight to the audience’s heart like Piaf before her…. [Carnegie Hall] was packed with people far as the eye could see. Raquel Bitton’s show was well and truly sold out! This singer doesn’t simply imitate, she performs in her own right and performs with the same burning passion of the one and only Madame Piaf! That Saturday night, another star was born.” Myriem Wong, France Amerique/Radio France International/Figaro
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