Over 3,000 people sat next to each other on bleachers in front of the pink-lit stage that hosted a full orchestra. The conductor kept time, his arms in billowing white sleeves, punctuated the full, classical music.
Then, through the night air, a spotlight focused on a young man dressed in an over-sized T-shirt and pants that hung, baggy, on his thin frame. He started rapping.
Stage left, 15 women in tank tops and camouflaged cargo pants danced in sync, their style a mixture of modern dance, Madonna’s “Vogue,” and Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back.” At stage right stood three guys on a platform with cans of spray paint, creating a large work of graffiti on a plywood wall. All the while, the orchestra accompanies the musicians, dancers, and artists.
The event, known in Pau, France as Orchestral Urbain: the Improbable Meeting, sought to combine classical music with hip-hop, thus reaching an audience with a broad range of ages and interests. The whole spectacle was representative of tensions in today’s French culture, largely concerning issues of immigration. The traditional sentiments of class and propriety met the younger generation’s world, one that includes an acceptance of new cultures and avenues of expression. It showed that “French music” is more diverse than the sidewalk café tunes of Django Reinhardt or the sappy love songs sung by Charles Trenet.
On that note, I thought I’d recommend some musicians you can check out. Perhaps the songs “à l’air français” can provide a respite from the humid, Iowa summer air.
Let’s start with a classic. Serge Gainsbourg, the super-sexed pop star, was most popular during the 1960s and ’70s.
His song “Je t’aime…moi non plus” reached a large English speaking audience, thanks to the explicit sounds of a woman’s orgasm. His sound is playful and retro. Noted songs include: “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Lemon Incest,” and “Les Sucettes.”
Louise Attaque, founded in 1994, played a folk-rock style that was strongly influenced by the Violent Femmes.
They were immensely popular throughout the 1990s, their albums outselling those of bands like Noir Desir, another celebrated rock band of the time. Their lyrics are strong against a background of fiddles and guitars. Check out these songs: “Je voudrais que tu te rappelles,” “Si c’était hier,” and “Ton invitation.”
For some relaxed tracks, Tryo plays a mix of jazz, funk, and reggae.
My French family is a big fan of their live albums and we often listen to them in the background while making dinner or playing Monopoly. C’est très chouette! Their songs are often politically charged, criticizing right-wing politicians and their policies. I recommend the songs “Paris,” “Monsieur bibendum,” and “Yakamoéyé.”
My favorite French hip-hop comes from two different sources: I AM and MC Solaar.
I AM hit their big break with the album L’école du micro d’argent. Though well known in France throughout the 1990s, MC Solaar met English audiences in 2004 when his song “La belle et le bad boy” was featured in an episode of “Sex and the City.” Favorites include: “Nes sous la même étoile” by I AM, and “Paradisiaque,” “Comme dans un film,” and “La vie est belle” by MC Solaar.
Camille Dalmais prefers to be known by just her first name, Camille.
Her music is rhythmic and complex, reminiscent of Björk, Ani Difranco and Regina Spektor. I just discovered her new album, Le fil, and so far I love “Ta douleur,” “Au port,” and “Pour que l’amour me quitte.”
So, hope you enjoy the sampling of new French tunes. Most of the above are available on iTunes, and I’m sure can be found elsewhere online or at a local record store.
Until next week, ciao!
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