In the spirit of generosity that invades Christmas in Paris like an avalanche of Bûches de Noël, I’ve got your back when it comes to X-Mas shopping in the City of Light. While I may not be able to get you out of the circus, at least I can help you clown around.
At first, seemingly too freaky to buddy up to, June’s music settles into a groove deep enough that even a guy like me can get into it. In the end, Uncle June’s homemade jams show why jazz, coffee and older women are acquired tastes well worth the wait.
A skilled singer in styles ranging from jazz to blues, from scat to crooning, Moe can adopt someone else’s words or create his own inimitable songs anchored deep in the groove carved by his personal poetry.
I instantly understand what more intelligent critics than I mean when they talk about the 'Romantic' period. What, you think I’m too much of a guy to be mature about this? C’mon now, I can Handel this, don’t be Hayden.
Four musicians bearing instruments streamed out single-file from the side stage door like clowns piling out of a tiny VW. Ensemble Almeida should be a nice change of pace as they don’t play classical music but 'latin' music, and I don’t mean 'veni, vidi, vici'. At least I hope I don’t.
In March, I attended a Classical Musical Festival at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Think of it as Woodstock without the ‘wood’. Three days of Peace and Quiet. The opening act of this extravaganza was a threesome formed by Raphaël Pidoux (cello), Pascale Jaupart (cello) and Kay Ueyama (harpsichord).
Ms Serafimova is not the author’s rock and roll, in fact she’s not even rock and roll at all. This charming percussionist put on a whole show of jazz and classical drum solos that kicked it in all the right places and helped me to make my peace with drummers.
She paused to wipe perspiration off her brow and hands, and to give me a dirty look. Maybe she can read minds as well as music, in which case she’ll no doubt play 'Funeral for a Friend' and dedicate it to me.
Mostly what I know about the harp is that it’s a musical instrument that plays classical music, and I know harpist Sylvain Blassel recorded a very soothing CD with the harp called Bach – Goldberg Variations. I also know I saw him live, and here’s the proof of that…
I’ll try anything once, and that’s just one of the many things I have in common with all the arty types here in Paris. The inability to afford French cigarettes and a belief the day starts at night are others ... Artists and I will try anything once and we were all in deep at The Balzac the other night.
Come with us to experience French life beyond the cliché.
Magazine – Events – Experiences
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