Delving into the world of European acid jazz can be as intimidating as ordering wine in France. Too many great selections make it a challenge to choose, and the wrong order can brand you as a cretin. However, whether you are a jazz neophyte, or have spent countless nights in Latin Quarter clubs, playing St. Germain is as safe and satisfying as ordering the house Bordeaux.
St. Germain (pronounced Sahn Jermahn) is the pseudonym for French musician Ludovic Navarre. Listed by iTunes as “electronica,” St. Germain covers a much broader spectrum than can be described by any single musical genre.
The 2000 release Tourist is aptly named as a great album for a first time-listener to European or acid jazz styles. There is no complexity here. Tourist is straightforward with grooves and hooks that work well as the background to a sophisticated dinner party or at high volumes driving your subwoofer at a more festive event. Either way, listeners will be impressed with the “worldliness” of your music collection. Once you’ve pulled the cork on Tourist and listened to the easy flow of signature cuts Rose Rouge and Sure Thing, you may be ready for a more complex vintage.
Boulevard, released in 1996, lives up to the “electronica” description a little more accurately as it employs loops, samples and styles from a wide variety of sources. Of particular note on Boulevard is What’s New, which pays tribute to the house DJs of electronica capitals Amsterdam, Paris and New York. Boulevard has an edgy feel and should be played at high volumes with generous bass.
The perfect pairing: a little light Tourist with your better wine early in the evening and the heartier Boulevard when the party loosens up. The well-prepared music sommelier might serve Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack and The Propellerheads for in-between courses.
