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Bobby's Jean-Claude Vannier Research
This is mostly for Prole.
I have discovered some more stuff by Vannier (string arranger on Gainsbourg's "L'Histoire de Melody Nelson" and creator of prog/easy/soundtrack concept LP "L'Enfant Assassins des Mouches" which caused a bit of a stir when re-issued recently).
I ordered a copy of his Gainsbourg-collaboration soundtrack for "Cannabis" which is pretty good, but not as exciting as either "Melody Nelson" or "L'Enfant". I found a couple more albums on Amazon.fr including a rather dull cod-Hollywood soundtrack for some French action caper with a picture of an explosion on the front. Also an album called "En Public & Fait Maison" which I can't get any sound samples for. I also found a "classical" album of arrangements of George Brassens songs (Bassens is one of the greatest french song-writers/poets) which is all a bit oom-pah-pah/traditional even for my tastes!
I also found out that he did arrangements for late-60s French weirdo singer Brigitte Fontaine on her most accessible (first) album "Brigitte Fontaine Est". Judging by the sound samples (http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/clipserve/B000026U9W001004/403-8252518-8934035), this is the kind of classic Vannier strings we're looking for! I have ordered a copy, but not recieved it yet...
Also, he did strings for Jane Birkin's "Di Doo Dah" album, which has "singing" which might not be to everyone's taste, but the strings are great (http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/clipserve/B00005S6EM001001/403-8252518-8934035) - seems to follow on nicely from "Melody Nelson".
I shall continue this later and bore everyone rigid.