zondag 16 september 2007

Stacey Kent


"Signing with Blue Note, I feel like Steffi Graf must have felt the first time she stepped onto court to play Martina Navratilova." Great soundbite, taken from this biography on Bluenote.com. It also says that for her Blue Note-debut, Stacey Kent recorded "two of her favourite French songs by celebrated songwriter Serge Gainsbourg", which suggests she handpicked 'm herself. Not true. Ces Petits Riens and La Saisons des Pluies were send to her by French A&R-guy Nicolas Pflug, but she loved 'm (see this epk) right away. In the linked interview, Stacey tells that she and the band are total francophiles - not only did she record two Gainsbourg-chansons, she also covered Samba Saravah (by Pierre Barouh, from Un Homme et Une Femme). Earlier, Biolay's Jardin d'Hiver was covered by Stacey, who has a very sweet, but strong voice. Not as smokey-barroom like Diana Krall, and without the southern belle-drawl of Norah Jones, but somewhere in between.
For good measure, I've put up the original Serge-versions, plus more covers.

Stacey Kent - Ces Petits Riens
Stacey Kent - La Saison des Pluies
Serge Gainsbourg - Ces Petits Riens
Serge Gainsbourg - La Saison des Pluies
Christiane Canavese - La Saison des Pluies
Christiane Canavese - Ces Petits Riens
Jane Birkin - Ces Petits Riens
Catherine Denevue - Ces Petits Riens
Angelique Kidjo - Ces Petits Riens
EXTRA: Zizi Jeanmaire - Ces Petits Riens
EXTRAEXTRA: thanks to Jimbomaniac and Benzen, here's two extra versions
Françoise Hardy - Ces Petits Riens
Carla Bruni - Those Little Things

7 opmerkingen:

  1. Simone Tassimot sings the bes version of "ces petits riens", in her show : Simone chante le gainsblues.
    She will be on stage, in paris, the 22 octobre.

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  2. if you happen to have that version on mp3....guuzbourg(a)gmail.com

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  3. Thanks a lot! I was just looking for these songs. In this new album, Stacey alos sings "Samba Saravah", I think you could make an interesting comparaison of the different versions.

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  4. Francoise Hardy covered Ces Petits... on her 'Quelqu'un qui s'en va' album from 1982. It's a sort of bossa nova version. Really nice

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  5. That's not Zizi Jeanmarie but Jeanmaire.
    Thanks a lot for all that songs.

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  6. i always make that mistake. will change.

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