Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Les Double Six: Les Double Six

Les Double Six: Les Double Six

By Dave Hughes
October 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

Quick: name some of the most innovative, excellent vocal ensembles in jazz over the last half century. Your list would probably include such notable ensembles as Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross, Singers Unlimited, Manhattan Transfer, and New York Voices. Well, here's another group that belongs in that top echelon. At the same time Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross was blowing U.S. audiences away with their close-harmony vocalese interpretations of jazz classics, this group at twice the size (two women, four men) was doing the same thing in France. The main spark plug here is Mimi Perrin, who wrote all of the French lyrics and is the only person who remains consistent throughout all of the personnel permutations. Note also the participation of Ward Swingle, who would go on to form his own formidible vocal ensemble, the Swingle Singers.

This twenty-song retrospective covers sessions recorded during five intervals between 1959 and 1962. Half of the tunes are connected with Quincy Jones - they're either his compositions or were recorded by his orchestra (or both). In all cases, this is vocalese at its finest; all of the arrangements and vocal solos are true to the versions recorded by the bands who made them famous. The ability of these six voices to execute lightning-quick lines with perfect phrasing and close harmonies often leaves me in jaw-dropped astonishment. There are too many highlights here to single out any in this review - it's all outstanding. These singers are deeply steeped in the jazz tradition.

If you enjoy the works of any of the groups mentioned at the beginning of this review, you simplymustseek out this recording.

Track Listing

For Lena and Lennie; Rat Race; Stockholm Sweetnin'; Boo's Bloos; Doodlin'; Meet Benny Bailey; Evening in Paris; Count 'em; Tickle Toe; Early Autumn; Sweets; Naima; Westwood Walk; A Night in Tunisia; A Ballad; Scrapple from the Apple; Boplicity; Moanin'; Fascinating Rhythm; Walkin'. (68:11)

Personnel

Mimi Perrin, Ward Swingle, Jean-Claude Briodin, Jacques Denjean, Christiane Legrand, Monique Aldebert, Louis Aldebert, Jean-Louis Conrozier, Roger Guerin, Claudine Barge, Eddy Louiss - vocals; Art Simons, Georges Arvanitas, Rene Urtreger - piano; Michel Gaudry, Pierre Michelot - bass; Daniel Humair, Christian Garros, Kenny Clarke - drums; Elek Bacsik, Paul Piguilhem - guitar; Jean-Pierre Drouet - bongos, Eddy Louiss - vibes.

Album information

Title: Les Double Six | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: RCA Victor

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.