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CD Review
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The Georgia Straight, CD Review >>
Paris Combo has emerged as one of the most distinctive bands on Europe’s acoustic music scene. The quintet’s sound brings together an updated version of the French chansonnier tradition, pop, mainstream jazz, gypsy swing in the mould of Django Reinhardt, and world-roots flavours from Madagascar, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. That’s a tricky blend to get right. It’s a measure of Paris Combo’s maturity that on Motifs, its fourth release, the diverse elements are harmoniously integrated to create innovative and sophisticated music.
Belle du Berry, the band’s charismatic lead singer and its chief composer is mainly responsible for this success. Her songs are witty and quirky, wry commentaries on society and relationships, with unexpected melodic twists and turns. Du Berry’s articulation is always clear, and her voice is strong and supple. Its arch and amused tone is a perfect match for the music on tracks such as “Aquarium”, about the false sense of community created by the new media., or “Touriste d’une vie”, the tale of a man who travels the world in his own mind.
My only gripe is that the sleeve notes have no English translations of the songs. You don’t need to understand French, however, to appreciate the quality of Paris Combo’s musicianship and tight arrangements. Trumpeter David Lewis, guitarist Potzi, percussionist François Jeannin, and bassist Mano Razanajato play with a combination of sensitivity and brio, and there are no weak tracks or flat passages. At once quintessentially Parisian and unequivocally global, Motifs manages to capture the shifting and multi-facetted identity of the City of Lights.
-Tony Montague 03/23/05
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