Les Double Six

RCA

Jean-Claude Briodin, Jaques Denjeen, Claude Germain, Christiane Legrand, Mimi

Perrin & Ward Swingle, vocals; Quincey Jones, arrangements; various backing

musicians.

This is a reissue of a 1963 set by the French jazz vocal group, Les Double Six. Sung in French, the songs are all vocalese renditions of various bop and jazz standards of the time like "Naima," "A Night In Tunisia," and "Scrapple from The Apple". Guest, Quincy Jones worked with them on the arrangements, including seven of his own tunes.

While well done, the music suffers from being very dated. The sixties saw a host of vocalese groups hitting the charts. One of the Les Double Six, Ward Swingle, went on to form the "Swingle Singers," who recorded jazz vocal versions of Bach and Mozart. File under nostalgia.

by Michael Bettine

More New Sounds