FAMOUS JAZZ
CLASSICS & BALLADS
THE VOICE of NORMA
GREEN
THE GUITAR of
PIERRE CAVALLI
Jazztone Rec.
SJS-1263 – 1966? (Switzerland)
“Rare euro vocal jazz LP recorded in a small
Swiss private club in 1966”. It
seems everything is becoming “rare” these days. There was a time when this LP
was a common occurrence in second-hand shops and could be bought for the
equivalent of a couple of euros or even less (I bought mine for 65 Belgian Francs
.. OK it was a long while ago!). I was therefore more than amazed when I saw that
some “specialized” websites are not afraid to ask prices above € 100.- for this
album, which is a bit outrageous IMHO.
The problem
with this LP is … Norma Green. I could do without her vocals which I find slightly
irritating. I could not find any info on her, apparently she was British.
Luckily she only sings on half of the selections, the others are instrumentals
and they amply justify the acquisition of the album. Pierre
Cavalli’s playing is nothing but outstanding. He has a very unique and personal style, very
bluesy for a Swiss … As a matter of
fact, this album contains one of the bluesiest versions of Django, .just superb!
It is
unfortunate that Cavalli did not get the opportunity to record more in a jazz
context. However, if you are open-minded
I recommend you seek his other recordings (EP and LP), more commercial but
where he demonstrates an astounding technique .. I guess it is to be expected
from a musician who befriended both Django and Les Paul in the Fifties, was the
first of the few Europeans who play the Gibson-double neck. He is often considered a pioneer of instrumental rock and roll, in Europe and was a keen sound-experimentator. Imagine a Swiss Danny Gatton in the 50s.!
Credits
Norma Green vocal
Pierre
Cavalli guitar
Bob
Jaquillard bass
Stuff Combe drums
Tracks:
1.
there will never be another you
2.
django
3.
the lady is a tramp
4.
days of wine and roses
5.
cry me a river
6.
autumn leaves
7.
angels eyes
8.
all the things you are
9.
i left my heart in san francisco
10. nuages
11. kansas
city
12. lonesome
road
Biographical notes
Browsing the web for some info on Cavalli I landed on a French blog entitled
Bide & Musique
where I found these extensive biographical notes written by a musician who knew Cavalli personnaly (actually one of Cavalli's guitar students).
I also recommend this other excellent French website which has an extensive discography of Pierre Cavalli "rock" EP (Amour du Rock and Roll)
Pierre Cavalli started studying violin at a young age and get
quickly interested in the guitar. In the
late 40s, he started to commute between Switzerland and Paris where he began
playing electric guitar in the famous Jazz Cellars of St . Germain des Prés,
before he was even 20.
In 1948, he was
back in Switzerland, playing and doing some recording sessions with organist Fred Bolher
(real name . Fritz Walter Böhler) Then he moved again to Paris and played with various
local and expat jazzmen, among others the American pianist Art Simmons. He could be seen and heard in all the main
jazz clubs of the time (Blue Note-Chat qui Peche..etc.).
Around 1955-1956 he met the blind singer-pianist François
Charpin. They formed a trio with the
famous double bass player Michel Gaudry and recorded for the Barclay label.
Pierre Cavalli lead for a while his own Orchestra playing
the hits of the day and recorded under his name a series of instrumental cover versions of
popular tunes (When, Rebel-Rouser..etc) on Barclay and on on Bel-Air, a Barclay’s
subsidiary. He became a mainstay of the
Barclay Studio, working often with bassman Pierre Cullaz, backing popstars of the day He often backed female singers
such as Franca Di Rienzo and wrote arrangements for Dalida.
He can be heard on numerous Hazy Osterwald records but
always as a studio musician.
In March 1962 (7-8 March to be precise), he was in
a recording studio with Sréphane Grappelli for an album that will be entitled “Feeling + Finesse = Jazz”. The rhythm section is among the best you
could find on the old Continent: Daniel
Humair –another Swiss – is on Drums, Guy Pedersen on double bass, Léo Petit on
rhythm guitar.
The repertoire was Django influenced. Pierre Cavalli demonstrates that he is a
redoutable technician (this album was issued on Atlantic and was reissued on
Collectables). Cavalli had met and knew Django quite well,
they were frequent visitors of the same jazz caves and clubs in the Paris of
the late 40s , early 50s.
In 1964 he recorded with Austrian pianist Friedrich
Gulda and a.o. the Italian guitarist/bassplayer Franco Cerri (MPS). He made session with Hans
Koller.
Between 1966 and 1978 Cavalli records several
albums for nearly forgotten (often budget)
labels such as
Activ.(Pierre Cavalli)
and a fine Bossa Nova album on the Sunset label (Souvenirs from Brazil).
In addition to being a studio musician , Pierre
Cavalli ran his father’s Musical Instrument Shop in Zurich.
