Paris ranks alongside New York as the world’s main centre of jazz performance. Innumerable US jazzmen have an ‘In Paris’ album in their back catalogue, but that is only one obvious sign of an enduring love affair between the city and the music. Miles Davis, in turn,wrote in his autobiography: ‘My first trip…changed the way I looked at things forever… I loved being in Paris and loved the way I was treated. Paris was where I understood that all white people were not the same; that some weren’t prejudiced.’ The affaire de coeur between Paris and jazz continues; here are 40 musical love letters to cherish.
CD 1
1. Afternoon In Paris – Kenny Clarke Quintet
2. Blue And Brown – Clifford Brown
3. Florence sur les Champs-Elysées – Miles Davis
4. Take The “A” Train – Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
5. Petite Fleur – Sidney Bechet
6. Because Of You – Don Byas
7. It’s Only A Paper Moon – Coleman Hawkins
8. I’m In The Mood For Love – Bill Coleman
9. Montmartre – Django Reinhardt & Rex Stewart
10. Blues March – Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
11. Sweet Georgia Brown (feat. Sammy Price) – Lucky Thompson
12. Blue Light Blues – Benny Carter & His Orchestra (with Django Reinhardt)
13. Cognac Blues – Dizzy Gillespie
14. Two-Bass Hit – Donald Byrd
15. Promenade aux Champs-Elysées – Sidney Bechet
16. C’est si bon – Louis Armstrong
17. And So To Sleep Again – Don Byas
18. Crazy Rhythm – Coleman Hawkins & Django Reinhardt
19. Body And Soul – Bud Powell
20. I Love Paris – Oscar Peterson
CD 2
1. Paris Blues – Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
2. All The Things You Are – Clifford Brown
3. Oblique – Kenny Clarke’s Sextet
4. Mon Homme (My Man) – Coleman Hawkins
5. Au bar du petit bac – Miles Davis
6. April In Paris – Bud Powell
7. After You’ve Gone – Bill Coleman
8. Les Oignons – Sidney Bechet
9. Slow Coach – Don Byas
10. I’ll Remember April – Lee Konitz Quintet
11. St. Thomas – Sonny Rollins
12. Real Crazy – Lionel Hampton
13. Bugle Call Rag – Dicky Wells & His Orchestra
14. I’m Coming, Virginia – Benny Carter & His Orchestra (with Django Reinhardt)
15. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home – Django Reinhardt & Bill Coleman
16. They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Dizzy Gillespie
17. Summertime – Oscar Peterson
18. Wild Man Moore (feat. Louis Armstrong) – Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
19. The Man I Love – Lucky Thompson
20. Si tu vois ma mère – Sidney Bechet