RARITY # 56

LA GRANDE TWIST PARTY

25 cm Barclay (France) – 1962

A fairly rare French 10” featuring Twist songs – vocal and instrumental - done in a very French manner by very competent (studio) bands (Eddie Barclay, Jean Bouchety) with obvious jazz chops and lotsa honking sax.   The overall sound his often closer to Louis Prima’s than to rockabilly this is sax-based rock and roll rather than guitar rock.

Les Play Boys were leather-rocker Vince Taylor’s backing band.  Their take on Artistry in Rhythm (renamed Artistry in Twist) is well worth the price of admission.  The tracks by Eddie Barclay Orchestra are very enjoyable also, I really enjoy this type of “big band” rock and roll.   “Play The Thing” sounds very much like Night Train. 

Harold Nicholas was an American expat' with a long career in dancing. See here.

No idea about the identities behind The Daniels, probably a studio band “de circonstance”.  They were obviously French-speakers (listen to “Wee Wee” which sounds like “Oui Oui”) but French or Belgians?  The compositions are credited to J. Evans – N. Byl … two Belgians ! (for more info on jazz pianist Jean Evans, check here).

A better known  band is Les Chaussettes Noires feat. lead singer Eddy Mitchell who was to become a huge star in France and French speaking countries and played a major role in popularizing rock and roll, country music in France and, later on,and American B-series thru’ his TV programme La Derniere Séance in the 80s.

Play it loud and do the twist!

A1       Harold Nicholas           La Grande Twist Party (Rock'n Roll Call)         composed by: D. Gérard, R. Bernet, Hammer, Toombs

A2       Harold Nicholas           Ya Ya Twist     composed by G. Aber, Lee Dorsey

A3       The Daniels      Wee Wee         composed by J. Evans, N. Byl

A4       The Daniels      Scotch Twist    composed by J. Evans, N. Byl

A5       Les Play-Boys  Raunch Twist   composed by Singleton, Ogerman, Larry Coleman

B1        Les Chaussettes Noires Peppermint Twist (1ère Partie) composed by G. Aber, Dee, Glover

B2        Les Chaussettes Noires Peppermint Twist (2e Partie)    composed by G. Aber, Dee, Glover

B3        Eddie Barclay & Les Twisters   5th Avenue Twist        composed by G. Aber, J. Bouchéty

B4        Eddie Barclay & Les Twisters   Play The Thing      composed by   M. Morris

B5        Les Play-Boys    Artistry In Twist          composed by Stan Kenton