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As a singer and songwriter, Carla Bruni usually follows the labyrinthine tracks in French music established by artists such as Georges Brassens, Jane Birkin, and Pierre Barouh. Therefore, cutting a collection of standards from rock, pop, and jazz might seem out of character. The songs on French Touch are those Bruni sang and played on the guitar between the ages of nine and 29. The album was initiated by Grammy-winning producer, arranger (and then-head of Verve Records) David Foster. He was knocked out by a Bruni performance in Los Angeles and offered to produce an album. She is accompanied by her regular band and a slew of studio aces including drummer Jim Keltner, guitarist Dean Parks, and harmonica ace Mickey Raphael -- who appears on a lovely, Caribbean-inspired version of "Crazy" that also features its composer, Willie Nelson in duet.
While these readings are intimate, they are imbued without nostalgia or artifice. Foster arranges these songs according to Bruni's particular needs as a singer: her breathy contralto, though always intimate and tender, is surprisingly expressive in the English language. She opens with a moody yet sparse read of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" as a poignant ballad with Cyril Barbessol's ghostly piano, minimal percussion, strings, and nylon-string and slide guitars. Bruni follows with reading of the Clash's "Jimmy Jazz," complete with fingerpops and Fats Waller-esque piano, muted trumpet, and clarinet derived from early-'30s jazz. The Rolling Stones' "Miss You" is viewed through the Barry White and Love Unlimited production aesthetic, with strings swirling atop the airy, funky disco backbeat, hand percussion, and nylon-string guitar. ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All" is delivered sincerely, but its string-drenched chart is twee and forgettable. The reinvention of "Highway to Hell" as a slippery jazz-inflected blues is anything but, with its swinging horns, electric piano, and bumping bassline. The gorgeous cabaret-tinged reading of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" is imbued with a flawless balance of innocent longing and moody introspection. It's followed -- with a nod and a wink given to her husband Nicolas Sarkozy's difficulties during his time as France's president -- by a too-sweet "Stand by Your Man" that weds Cafe Saravah's nouveau chanson breeziness, upscale honky tonk, and smooth pop. Bruni closes the set with two gorgeous American pop standards: "Please Don't Kiss Me" is modeled directly on Rita Hayworth's version from the 1947 film The Lady from Shanghai. It's juxtaposed with Johnny Mercer's "Moon River," rendered without any of the stylistic artifice of the great pop stylists. Bruni's version is modeled on Audrey Hepburn's singing of it in Breakfast at Tiffany's alone on a windowsill. Though buoyed by an elegant yet economic use of strings, it nonetheless recollects that iconic silver screen moment. The songs on French Touch are idiosyncratic and free of drama. But they are chock-full of tenderness; Bruni delivers them with keen insight into the lyric meanings these melodies convey.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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Dean Parks, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Campbell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Martin Lee Gore, ComposerLyricist - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alma Fernandez, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Shawn Mann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Maia Jasper, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jackie Brand, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Walden, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Kumar, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rob Brophy, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Loo, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Katie Sloan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Braun, Cello, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Paul Simonon, ComposerLyricist - Nicholas Bowen Headon, ComposerLyricist - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Young, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ron King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - John Mellor, ComposerLyricist - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Driskill, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jones Michael Geoffrey, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2017 Teorema
Dean Parks, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Organ, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Heyman Edward, Author - Young Victor Popular, Composer - Taofik Farah, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Dean Parks, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, String Arranger, Horn Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - KEITH RICHARDS, ComposerLyricist - MICK JAGGER, ComposerLyricist - Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Campbell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Shawn Mann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Maia Jasper, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jackie Brand, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Rynearson, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Walden, String Arranger, Horn Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Kumar, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rob Brophy, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Driskill, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Laszlo Mezo, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Ronald King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Katie Sloan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Reginald Young, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Braun, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Geoffrey Gallegos, Baritone Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, String Arranger, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Benny Andersson, ComposerLyricist - Caroline Campbell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Bjorn Ulvaeus, ComposerLyricist - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Shawn Mann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Maia Jasper, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jackie Brand, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Rynearson, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Walden, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Kumar, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rob Brophy, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Laszlo Mezo, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Katie Sloan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Braun, Cello, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Dean Parks, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Willie Nelson, Interprète Vocal, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mickey Raphael, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Keyboards, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Dean Parks, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Young, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Angus Young, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Scott, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Young, ComposerLyricist - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Walden, Horn Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ron King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Driskill, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Geoffrey Gallegos, Baritone Saxophone, Horn Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Lou Reed, ComposerLyricist - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Piano, Melodica, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Dean Parks, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - BILLY SHERRILL, ComposerLyricist - Tammy Wynette, ComposerLyricist - Rafael Padilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Jim Keltner, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, Horn Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Allan Roberts, ComposerLyricist - Doris Fisher, ComposerLyricist - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Walden, Horn Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ron King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Driskill, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Reginald Young, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Geoffrey Gallegos, Baritone Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer, String Arranger, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Laurent Vernerey, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny Mercer, Author - Henry Mancini, Composer - Jochem Van Der Saag, Mixer, Synthesizer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Campbell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Shawn Mann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Maia Jasper, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jackie Brand, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Carla Bruni, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Erik Rynearson, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Walden, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Kumar, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rob Brophy, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Taofik Farah, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Laszlo Mezo, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Katie Sloan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cyril Barbessol, Keyboards, Melodica, AssociatedPerformer - Jacob Braun, Cello, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2017 Teorema
Album review
As a singer and songwriter, Carla Bruni usually follows the labyrinthine tracks in French music established by artists such as Georges Brassens, Jane Birkin, and Pierre Barouh. Therefore, cutting a collection of standards from rock, pop, and jazz might seem out of character. The songs on French Touch are those Bruni sang and played on the guitar between the ages of nine and 29. The album was initiated by Grammy-winning producer, arranger (and then-head of Verve Records) David Foster. He was knocked out by a Bruni performance in Los Angeles and offered to produce an album. She is accompanied by her regular band and a slew of studio aces including drummer Jim Keltner, guitarist Dean Parks, and harmonica ace Mickey Raphael -- who appears on a lovely, Caribbean-inspired version of "Crazy" that also features its composer, Willie Nelson in duet.
While these readings are intimate, they are imbued without nostalgia or artifice. Foster arranges these songs according to Bruni's particular needs as a singer: her breathy contralto, though always intimate and tender, is surprisingly expressive in the English language. She opens with a moody yet sparse read of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" as a poignant ballad with Cyril Barbessol's ghostly piano, minimal percussion, strings, and nylon-string and slide guitars. Bruni follows with reading of the Clash's "Jimmy Jazz," complete with fingerpops and Fats Waller-esque piano, muted trumpet, and clarinet derived from early-'30s jazz. The Rolling Stones' "Miss You" is viewed through the Barry White and Love Unlimited production aesthetic, with strings swirling atop the airy, funky disco backbeat, hand percussion, and nylon-string guitar. ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All" is delivered sincerely, but its string-drenched chart is twee and forgettable. The reinvention of "Highway to Hell" as a slippery jazz-inflected blues is anything but, with its swinging horns, electric piano, and bumping bassline. The gorgeous cabaret-tinged reading of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" is imbued with a flawless balance of innocent longing and moody introspection. It's followed -- with a nod and a wink given to her husband Nicolas Sarkozy's difficulties during his time as France's president -- by a too-sweet "Stand by Your Man" that weds Cafe Saravah's nouveau chanson breeziness, upscale honky tonk, and smooth pop. Bruni closes the set with two gorgeous American pop standards: "Please Don't Kiss Me" is modeled directly on Rita Hayworth's version from the 1947 film The Lady from Shanghai. It's juxtaposed with Johnny Mercer's "Moon River," rendered without any of the stylistic artifice of the great pop stylists. Bruni's version is modeled on Audrey Hepburn's singing of it in Breakfast at Tiffany's alone on a windowsill. Though buoyed by an elegant yet economic use of strings, it nonetheless recollects that iconic silver screen moment. The songs on French Touch are idiosyncratic and free of drama. But they are chock-full of tenderness; Bruni delivers them with keen insight into the lyric meanings these melodies convey.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:34:13
- Main artists: Carla Bruni
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Music Division Barclay
- Genre: World Europe French Music
© 2017 Teorema, under exclusive license to Verve Label Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc ℗ 2017 Teorema, under exclusive license to Verve Label Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc
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