This page is part of a larger guide, reviewing various French chanson and musette recordings, focussing mainly on older, classic material, but also branching out to include some newer performers working in the same styles. Suggestions, recommendations and corrections are always welcome...
This page covers the letter "R"
Jean Raphael "Mes Chansons De Charme" (Mariane Melodie, 2007)
Django Reinhardt - see artist profile
Maria Remusat "Mes Chansons Des Annees 50" (Mariane Melodie, 2005)
Claude Robin "Les Anges Noirs: 20 Succes Inoubliades" (Marianne Melodie, 1999)
Corny postwar romantic vocals, from 1947-51. This is pretty tame and overly smooth, still kind of nice, but tilting towards the blander production style of the 1950s/60s chanson scene. Some of the later tunes on here are noteworthy for their appropriation of Latin American themes -- mainly rumbas and boleros -- as refashioned by French composer Francois Llonas. Many of these songs came from film soundtracks; the material's okay, but it didn't really drive me wild.
Tino Rossi "Compositions: 1932-1950" (Fremeaux & Associes, 2003)
Corsican-born crooner Constantino Rossi (1907-1983) had a bright, inviting voice, that dipped into flowery operatic curliques, but also lent itself to the sparkling charm of 1930s popular song. He may be a bit corny for some, but unforgettable for others. This is a fine 2-CD set, spanning the first two decades of his career, including sons taken from his numerous film appearances, and including glowing but useful liner notes in English and French. Other Tino Rossi collections may be more compact and more fun to listen to, but this one is fairly authoritative, and gives a good sense of Rossi's stylistic range.
Tino Rossi "Ecoutez Les Mandolines" (Naxos, 2002)
More of Rossi's delightfully schmaltzy, stagey romantic singing, with touches of opera, the tango and Latin American boleros mixed in with the classic chanson sound. This is another superior, and quite affordable, collection from Naxos... Recommended!
French Music Index
French Rock & Pop
