We'll always have Paris Combo's hip beats

By Ernesto Lechner
Special to the Tribune

January 12, 2005

Four years ago, French quintet Paris Combo released one of the most inventive and accomplished pop albums to come out of Europe in the last decade. Titled "Attraction," this seminal collection was the group's third effort, crystallizing a unique sound that found inspiration in traditional French chanson while updating it with refreshing touches of jazz and Latin music.

The group, which will perform two shows on Saturday at Old Town School of Folk Music, has recently returned to action with "Motifs" an eagerly anticipated follow-up that is somewhat less instantly melodic than "Attraction" but favors a more compact and mature sound.

"We played the new songs in concert, which enabled them to mature before we recorded them," explains Belle du Berry, Paris Combo's lead singer and accordion player. "We also tried to bring the feeling of our live performances into the studio, and paired up with producer Oz Fritz, who is equally at ease in the studio and in concert."

Rewarding experience

The Paris Combo experience can be particularly rewarding in a live setting. Australian keyboardist David Lewis is notorious for managing to perform the piano and the trumpet at the same time, whereas Madagascar-born upright bassist Mano Razanajato adds lilting harmonies to du Berry's delicate vocalizing. Guitarist Potzi and drummer Francois Jeannin bring a jazzy immediacy to the procedures.

"What's wonderful about Paris Combo is that they manage to be hip and retro at the same time," offers Jacob Edgar, vice president of Product Development and A&R with Putumayo, a record label that specializes in world music compilations. Putumayo featured the group in "French Cafe," its best-selling title of the last two years.

"The group conjures up an image of France that both celebrates its stereotypes and tears them down," continues Edgar. "Each member of the band is an eccentric character, yet they are fine musicians who are devotees of Django Reinhardt, Edith Piaf, gypsy jazz and the myriad of other formats that have helped shape popular French music over the years."

Edgar became aware of the band seven years ago while working with Tinder, the label that released its debut album. At the time, Paris Combo was beginning to enjoy a strong underground following the U.S., where it was initially more popular than in its homeland. But French audiences were quick to embrace the group's revisionist aesthetic.

"When we started out in the '90s, we were an alternative group on an indie label," explains du Berry. "We're now part of the mainstream, even if the group's sound is atypical. The majority of our albums are sold in France. Sometimes, though, we feel that the diversity of influences in our music -- including jazz -- is better understood in countries such as the U.S."

A touch of humor

Atypical or not, the group sounds quintessentially French to foreign ears, evoking the bohemian atmosphere of a Parisian boulevard in summertime. Du Berry's lyrics are delicious observations on contemporary life laced with a gentle, slightly goofy sense of humor. And the combo's sophisticated handling of styles continues the same tradition of strong craftsmanship and eclectic musicality that has defined quality French pop since the beginning of the rock era.

"The best aspect about working in my country is the fact that Francophone music occupies such an important place in the local market," says du Berry when asked about the practicalities of a musician's life in France. "There is also a system of unemployment insurance that enables young groups to achieve some degree of professional security. On the other hand, there is not a lot of room for material like ours in the French media -- there are hardly any music shows on local television except from our own version of `American Idol.'"

Still, don't expect du Berry to leave her beloved Paris anytime soon -- pollution and steep rentals notwithstanding.

"Paris may be a stinky place, but it has a very particular ambiance to it," she offers. "The artistic and musical activity here is quite intense. That's why we love Paris and we choose to continue living here."

"I think what makes the music of Paris Combo so successful is that it appeals to listeners of any generation," says Putumayo's Edgar. "You can give it to a teenager and a grandmother and they'll both find it to be tres chic."