LES DOUBLE SIX
Les Double Six (RCA)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

---

The Parisian group Les Double Six wrote a fascinating chapter in vocal jazz history in the early 60s, though some consider it more of a footnote in the chapter written by the American group, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. True, they fashioned their style after absorbing the Americans' work, and the MO was the same; vocal arrangements of classic instrumental jazz, complete with retro-fit lyrics and voices handling complex horn solos. But Les Double Six wasn't dismissed as a clone, and in fact they won the highly respected Downbeat poll as the best vocal jazz group of 1966. Led by Mimi Perrin, a vocalist capable of everything from the serenely beautiful to the shattering of glass (and sometimes, for brief moments, the listener's nerves), Les Double Six took the Lambert, Hendricks and Ross formula to a slightly more exotic place and made a sound of their own. At times they overdubbed until they had fifteen or sixteen voices in the mix, creating a stunning, rich wall of sound. These twenty recordings from the group's heyday will be of great interest to fans of modern vocal groups like The Manhattan Transfer, devotees of exotica and lounge music, and anyone interested in harmony and vocal music pushed to the extremes. Fascinating stuff.

Track List:

For Lena and Lennie * Rat Race * Stockholm Sweetnin' * Boo's Bloos * Doodlin * Meet Bennie 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'

© 1999 - DJ Johnson