The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Great choice of concerts in London last night - Michel Legrand acoompanied by the full Royal Philarmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, or Dionne Warwick at the Royal Albert Hall.

Having seen Dionne on several occasions, I went for Michel, and the music was truly outstanding (Windmills of Your Mind, What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life, The Summer Knows, Papa Can You Hear Me etc.)

Which would you pick?

Where does one start with Michel Legrand? One of my personal favourites is sung here by a vocalist often associated with the great composer, Jack Jones.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F9JOmpiSL3k

Another of Michel Legrand's "timeless" melodies.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h8XLTgi8Ns

'blue'

3-0 to Michel so far....

Michel - Given the choice 25 years ago I'd have chosen Dionne!

pljms wrote:Where does one start with Michel Legrand? One of my personal favourites is sung here by a vocalist often associated with the great composer, Jack Jones.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F9JOmpiSL3k

I think that Jack Jones never sounded better than when he recorded all those Michel Legrand songs in the 60s & 70s. 'Pieces Of Dreams' is almost impossibly sublime:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2cAJjXL1EYc

Jack Jones is nearly forgotten now, but around `69 or `70 made a wonderfully weird album called L. A. Breakdown consisting of what at the time were considered to be "standards" along with three Randy Newman songs that fit in not at all: the title track, "I Think It`s Going to Rain Today", and "Linda." It`s not available on YouTube, and was never released on cd but I always liked it.

6-0...

Blue, whatdyya think?

nowmedical wrote:6-0...

Blue, whatdyya think?

Game over !

'blue'

Blair N. Cummings wrote:Jack Jones is nearly forgotten now, but around `69 or `70 made a wonderfully weird album called L. A. Breakdown consisting of what at the time were considered to be "standards" along with three Randy Newman songs that fit in not at all: the title track, "I Think It`s Going to Rain Today", and "Linda." It`s not available on YouTube, and was never released on cd but I always liked it.

Blair, it seems that most of Jack Jones's albums are hard to find without paying the earth for them. I've had his Michel Legrand album on vinyl for over forty years and was looking for it on CD recently and discovered it was only available from a few second-hand sellers and for nothing less than 50 quid.

Here's the desolate 'I Will Say Goodbye' from the album which has to be one of the greatest end of a love affair songs ever written. The way Jack Jones sings the last lines, "I will say goodbye. I will close the door. I will close my eyes. I will love no more.", is pretty devastating when coupled with Legrand's stark orchestration.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AtESeKNroLM

This was the first time I ever heard this song and I was blown away by it.
Still think this is a phenomenal arrangement and vocal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgRJImdIloo

Hank, it's a shame she only sang part of the song. The great singers have tended to make a meal out of 'What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life' but thankfully Rosemary Clooney sings it with a lot of restraint.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-NZs8Frsa6I

9-0 final score.

Did anyone go to the Dionne concert? I can't find any reviews either.

In the thread concerning Swing Out Sister's new album I described the track 'Everybody's Here' as sounding like it might have been influenced by Michel Legrand and thought then that a thread dedicated to the great French composer was long overdue. We know what a class act the aforementioned Swing Out Sister's Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell are and here they are on British TV in 1989 performing a voice and piano version of perhaps Michel Legrand's most famous song, 'The Windmills of Your Mind':

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CSfJ8s6V4Lg

.