Amazon.com: With A Paris, fleet-fingered pianist Jacky Terrasson delivers a soulful and sonic tribute to the City of Light and France. Backed by drummers Terreon Gully and Leon Parker, percussionist Minio Gara, Stefon Harris on marimba, and bassists Remi Vignolo and Ugonna Okegwo, Terrasson--who's worked with vocalists Betty Carter and Cassandra Wilson--reinterprets a number of classic French chansons into a diverse array of jazz idioms. His trio takes of "Plaisir d' Amour," and "Les Chemins de L'Amour" recall the gospel timbre of Abdullah Ibrahim and the delicate phrasings of Bill Evans. Alto/soprano saxophonist Stefano di Battista adds his snaky lines to the modal McCoy Tyner-tinged "Jeux Interdits" and to the North African nuances of "L'Aigle Noir." "La Vie en Rose" swings with an Afro-Caribbean beat, while "Ne Me Quitte Pas" and the title track are flavored by Gregoire Maret's Gallic harmonica and Gypsy guitarist Bireli Lagrene. Terrasson's heartfelt waltz rendition of the national anthem, "La Marseillaise," puts Bastille Day in a new jazzy light. --Eugene Holley, Jr.
Oui, Oui !!!! C'est spot on, as it were. As a matter of fact, C'est si bon. Having heard the Terrasson Trio in St. Gilles Croix de Villes this year, giving an exceptional performance featuring many of these chansons, I am bound to say Beautiful Music.
Beautiful, Crisp, and Cool Jacky Terrasson shows off his creative and versatile talent with this album. Well known French classics from Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf and Django Reinhardt, among others, are reinterpreted with a modern crispness that is a breath of fresh air. Terrasson also includes his own new compositions on the mix for an elegant balance of new tunes that stretch your modern jazz preconceptions, and old tunes that are familiar but reinvigorated. I first heard "Que reste-t'il de nos amours?" on a compilation album and immediately put in my order for this one. I only wish I had heard it sooner. A great album for quiet evenings at home - light some candles, pour a glass of Bordeaux, have a slice of brie, close you eyes, and let Jacky take you for a walk along the cobblestone quais of the Seine.
Loved it Having popped A Paris into my CD player a few days ago, I've been playing it regularly. This disk seems more focused than Terrasson's works in the past. He eschews the more dramatic flares that might have hung him up on occassion, and gets into a beautiful, lyrical space. The presence of his seminal trio with Leon Parker and Ugonna Okegwo on a couple of tunes is welcome, especially on the sparse and soulful opening tune Plaisir D'Amour. But his French cohorts ride very well too. He burns on the second cut, Jeux interdits, has a hilarious take on La Vie En Rose and gets positively cheesy on his Fender Rhodes on Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours. But the rule here is romance for the city of light, with little of the edginess one might associate with New York. It's about melody, simplicity, space, the blues, and an obvious love of place. What I found most remarkable was his ability to avoid the sentimental in tunes like Les Chemins De L'Amour which could easily careen in that direction. A keeper.
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