the cabaret

Astrud Gilberto

The young wife of Brazilian musical genius Joao Gilberto was catapulted into fame in 1963 when she was asked to sing a little song on her husband's new record. The tune was "The Girl from Ipanima" and the rest was, as they say, history. Although totally untrained as a singer (and frankly, in possession of no great natural skill) she was a perfect fit for the growing bossa nova style. Her voice is soft and sweet, her delivery is totally unmannered. She sounds rather like a pretty young bride who is singing to herself as she hangs out the laundry, which is fairly close to the truth. Probably her best work was for the Verve label, during most of the '60s; very little of her output from this period isn't worth owning. Her voice has never really changed and today, four decades later, she still sounds lovely.

Brigitte Bardot

Most Americans probably wouldn't associate BB with the recording studio (unless she fancied some musician or engineer), but it's a fact: she could sing! No, not "Sing" like Edith Piaf, but "sing", in a small, absolutely charming voice, rather like Marilyn Monroe. The two disks we have - "BB" and "and God Created…BB" are both reissues on CD, and are well worth picking up. Her delivery fluctuates between breathy and sunny to fragile and wistful, but packs a surprising emotional punch. The slower numbers, such as "Un Histoire de Plage" and "A la Fin de l'Ete" are particularly effective. A perfect soundtrack for lolling on the beach near Cap Martin, while reading Francoise Sagan.

Jane Birkin

The few people outside of France who are aware of Jane Birkin probably know her from her role as an erstwhile model in the film "Blow Up", or as Serge Gainsbourg's lover (and co-vocalist in the scandalizing single "Je T'Aime, Moi non Plus"). In fact, Birkin is also a respected serious actress, an interesting vocalist and was one of the most appealing starlets of the mid-to-late '60s (another being Marianne Faithfull). Birkin's voice is not exactly operatic, but that has never troubled the French, who regard her as a great singer, putting more stock in the dramatis personae of her stylings than in her voice's power or technical proficiency. Surely one of the grooviest recordings of the late '60s is that which she made with Gainsbourg - "'69: Anne Erotique" ("'69: Erotic Year"). Her solos range from the plaintive ""Le Canari est Sur le Balcon" to the kooky "Orang outan", and her duets - especially the title cut - are as good as French pop got in 1969. Some of Birkin's later work is a bit too influenced by the unfortunate trends in contemporary popular music, but her earliest records are well worth adding to any hipster's collection.

Jackie & Roy

There aren't many vocal duos that can boast more than a half century of collaboration, much less the same period of marriage, but Jackie and Roy can, and have always sounded like they were having a grand time of it. Jackie has a clear, engaging voice with just the right amount of character. Roy's baritone/2nd tenor voice is a capable and charming partner, and his piano work is perfect for their infectious tunes. Although they sometimes cover standards, they more often (and more effectively) do their own songs, which usually feature clever lyrics and peppy jazz tunes. Think Noel Coward in a Beat café. An excellent introduction to Jackie & Roy is their collection "The ABC/Paramount Years".