‘Le Jazz Hot, How the French Saved Jazz’ Is a Passionate Musical Affair
When we think of France, love and wine come to mind, but jazz? To paraphrase an old American standard, “You can’t take that away from the good ol’ U.S.A.!” Well, think again. In Le Jazz Hot, How the French Saved Jazz, currently playing at 59E59 Theaters, Peter and Will Anderson, virtuoso brothers on the saxophone and clarinet, don’t exactly say the French stole this legendary musical repertoire while we weren’t looking (or listening). But they sure had a big hand in saving it.
The Anderson brothers, along with guitarist Alex Wintz, Clovis Nicolas on bass and Luc Decker on drums, honor the musicians who worked, lived and celebrated their craft in the City of Light. In the early to mid-20th century, these African American artists soon discovered by plying their trade elsewhere that they enjoyed larger audiences, better pay and a greater appreciation. The set list includes such greats as Django Reinhardt, Sidney Bechet, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke and Bud Powell.
The program notes inform us that the renowned Quincy Jones once said, “If it weren’t for France, jazz would be dead.” In a taped interview with Gillespie on a drop-down projection screen, he is asked what it was exactly about the French connection that saved jazz. He replied with a shrug: “When the French once love you, its forever.” Gillespie’s own Tour de Force number is a special highlight and Will Anderson delights the audience with his added virtuosity on the flute, a distinctive highpoint as an integral part of the piece.
As if the repertoire of jazz hits such as Reinhardt’s Nuages, Bechet’s Petite Fleur, Armstrong’s C’est Si Bon, or Powell’s Parisian Thoroughfare weren’t enough to hold us captive, there’s a carefully plotted wealth of black and white archive footage that frames many of the songs throughout the 105 minutes of the performance. A special treat are the rare clips of Baker, a combustible mix of syncopation and sex in one African American bombshell. By 1927, she was the highest paid performer in France, and to watch her do the Charleston is to see one dazzling human being defying gravity itself. Another delectable addition to the repertoire was the Andersons’ rendition of Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, featuring a segment from The Red Balloon for our viewing pleasure. (If you have not seen this poetic journey of one young boy and his beloved balloon through the alleyways and rooftops of Paris, put it on your must rent list with no further ado.)
The Andersons, unlike many talented but taciturn musicians, obviously enjoy sharing anecdotes about their talented predecessors. Reinhardt, for instance, had a gypsy upbringing that resulted in a dangerous brush with a fire that left this artist with only an index and middle finger on one of his hands. Not to be discouraged by this fateful blow, he developed a new method of playing that became known as “hot” jazz. In 1937, the first ever jazz record label, Swing Records, was founded in France, featuring guitarist Reinhardt and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.
Will Anderson has a charming, almost disingenuous manner of introducing the other members of the band. After sharing the story of Reinhardt’s hand impairment, he flashes a blow-up photo of guitarist Wintz’s 10-fingered hands as a way of saying the young musician is better endowed than his musical ancestor. The give and take rapport between the two seems a little forced, with Wintz appearing a bit reluctant to share the limelight. But Wintz’s amazing talent on the guitar speaks for itself. His own improvisation of April in Paris is unparalleled, and shows a touch so delicately lyrical that the only comparison that comes to mind is the great Brazilian guitarist Antônio Carlos Jobim. Will Anderson also includes bass player Nicolas in his joking repartee, admitting to his own difficulties in French pronunciation. He has Nicolas pronounce the Reinhardt selection, Manoir de Mes Reves (Castle of My Dreams) for our edification not once, but twice. Nicolas, with perfect pronunciation, goes along good-naturedly with the prodding, as does drummer Decker when Peter Anderson agrees to send Decker home with the audience member who can guess what film featured Powell’s Parisian Thoroughfare. After we listened to the first few bars, the answer guessed, not surprisingly, was American in Paris. One of the film clips included in the visuals was from Paris Blues, featuring a title number by Ellington and starring Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier, as two musicians finding their way in a more forgiving Paris of the ’50s.
Most of us are quick to recognize the likes of Armstrong or Gillespie, but only a jazz historian or aficionado can be expected to be familiar today with the repertoire of Bechet, Clarke or Powell. Including these musicians in the set list and providing us with a visual peek into their combined histories was stimulating as well as educational. Bechet was born in New Orleans in 1897, and became one of the best soloist sax players to emerge, joining up with Baker and the famed Revue Negre. Clarke, nicknamed “Klook,” introduced a bebop style of drumming and Powell, hailing from Harlem, was dubbed the “Charlie Parker of the piano.”
The 59E59 complex of venues decided upon for the presentation is Theater C, a modest black box space at best. There was more than a bit of jostling to find one’s table, and the close proximity for some to the small stage gives a new definition to “down front” seating. Admittedly, a decided attempt has been made to give a cabaret feeling to the whole affair. And it’s to these amazing young musicians’ credit that our claustrophobic fears upon arriving were soon forgotten.
Between this youthful pair of brothers, they have released multiple albums featuring the likes of Kenny Barron and Bob Wilber. Appearing internationally at many music festivals, they have performed at home with The Lincoln Center and Village Vanguard Orchestras. Whether putting their lips to a tenor or alto sax, a clarinet or flute, their combined talents are truly magical — wailing with a frenetic rendition of Rhythm Futur or transporting us with the bittersweet romanticism of La Vie En Rose, it’s as if they came straight from the womb, exchanging a milk bottle for their instrument of choice.
We can daydream about those bygone days in Paris, watching Baker dance in her banana dress — dazzling audience members like Ernest Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald — while tapping our fingers to the soprano sax of Bechet and other talented expats. Or we can simply pay a visit to Le Jazz Hot and be enchanted by the sounds of Peter and Will Anderson, while being thankful that they’re every bit as good as the original players in this bon-bon of a show.
“Le Jazz Hot, How the French Saved Jazz” is currently playing at 59E59 Theaters through December 29, 2013. For more information about the show, please visit http://www.59e59.org/ or call 212.753.5959. 59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59th Street, New York, New York 10022.
