Vannier, Jean-claude – “Electro Rapide” – [Finder’s Keepers Records]

ArtCrimes   12/7/2011   CD, Soundtrack

A collection of mostly short instrumentals recorded during 1968-1973. As a composer, as well as an arranger for Serge Gainsbourg (notably on “Histoire De Melody Nelson”), Michel Legrand, and other Gallic titans, Vannier has remained a lesser-known figure but these selections bear witness to someone who can balance purely commercial work with his own more emotionally driven efforts. Most of these tracks were intended as background music for films, puppet theatre, ballets, and fashion shows and were later licensed as library music. Other selections are unreleased material from Vannier’s personal archives. Moments of great beauty and despair alternate with zany Euro orchestrations. For devotees of 60s Franco-pop, this just will be way too short (about a half hour of music is presented here). This certainly whets my appetite for more of the same. – crimes –