Posts Tagged ‘music’

Musicians in the Metro – Part I

Friday, June 1st, 2012
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La Réprise

La Réprise
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Travelers to Paris who use the metro to get around the city will, sooner or later, come upon any of the 300 musicians who perform in its passageways. In April, we had the opportunity to attend an audition held by Espace Métro Accords, where we participated on a jury to help determine which of the competing musicians should be granted a license to play there. Read about how the selection process is made in this month’s Paris Insights.

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Bazar et Bémols – A Joyous Group of Musicians

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
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Bazar et Bémols

Bazar et Bémols
Photo courtesy of Bazar et Bémols

Last week while riding the metro, I was delighted to see a joyous trio of musicians get on the car and begin singing in…French. Their performance was particularly entertaining because I do not usually hear singers perform French songs in the subway. Called Bazar et Bémols, they maintained exhilarating enthusiasm throughout their merry music-making. They will be performing in Paris at Stand’Art café on December 20, Caminito on January 13, and Hideout La Station on January 19.

Listen to their music on Facebook!

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The Princeton Roaring 20 at Dorothy’s Gallery – American Center for the Arts

Sunday, November 20th, 2011
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The Princeton Roaring 20

The Princeton Roaring 20
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The Princeton Roaring 20, an a capella group from Princeton University, performed recently at Dorothy’s Gallery – American Center for the Arts. Click on the image below to watch them sing!

Video produced by www.DiscoverParis.net

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Paris, Past and Present: Federico Santalla at Le Lapin Agile

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
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Federico Santalla, Singer
(c) Discover Paris!

One of the articles in our monthly Paris Insights newsletter is called Paris, Past and Present. Here, we provide a brief report on some aspect of Paris history, culture, and contemporary life that we find particularly interesting.

In this month’s Paris, Past and Present, we feature Federico Santalla, a singer who performed at Le Lapin Agile for thirty years. One of his favorite songs that he sang there is a poem written by humorist and comedian Pierre Dac that Federico set to music. Called “Rien,” the poem is a nonsense song about the state of nothingness, which Federico performed with gestures and piano accompaniment.

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Bonne lecture!

Tom Reeves Named Official Blogger for the 4-14 Festival in Dijon: Celebrating Franco-American Friendship, Food, Music, and Fun!

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
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I am pleased to announce that I have been named the official blogger for the second annual 4-14 Festival, to be held in Dijon on July 9-11, 2010. The festival brings together American and French musicians and chefs to celebrate friendship, food, music…and fun! Last year, 15,000 people turned out for the festivities!

Twenty-five chefs from both sides of the Atlantic will work their culinary magic for the festival. This year, American chefs from New Orleans and other Louisiana towns (and one from Washington, D.C.) will be participating in the event. They include Louisiana native Dooky Chase IV of the legendary Dooky Chase restaurant. The restaurant was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but has risen from the flood waters to continue its 60+-year tradition of service. Among the French chefs, Michelin-starred Marc Meneau of the inimitable l’Esperance, and Daniel Ginsberg of the Nouvelle Cuisine de la Ville de Dijon will participate alongside nine additional Burgundian masters of cuisine.

I have been writing about food for Discover Paris! since October 2006, when I launched my “Quest for Smoke-Free Dining” review for the Paris Insights monthly newsletter. After smoking was banned in restaurants in France in January 2008, I launched “Le Bon Goût,” a monthly restaurant review for which I interview the chef. The review is found in my Paris Insights newsletter, available by paid subscription. I now publish a free weekly restaurant review for the Paris Insights Web site as well. I share my passion for coffee and chocolate by frequently posting anecdotes to my Paris Insights blog and Facebook page about the fresh-roasted coffee beans and hand-crafted chocolates that I find at the many coffee-roasting facilities and artisanal chocolate shops in the French capital.

Click here to access my blog about the 4-14 Festival. Click here to access my free weekly restaurant review.

Mra Oma & Brotherhood

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
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Good news for jazz fans! Mra Oma & Brotherhood will be performing at the Centre Tchèque this Friday at 8:30 p.m. The Czech center is located at 18, rue Bonaparte in the 6th arrondissement. Entry is only 5€ for some great music!

Le Lapin Agile: A Cabaret for Traditional French Songs

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
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Our feature article for this month’s Paris Insights newsletter is about Le Lapin Agile. Nestled on the northern slope of Montmartre, just downhill from a vineyard and uphill from a cemetery, the cabaret has existed since at least the early 19th century. Read about this historic place and learn why it evokes so much nostalgia.

Just down the north slope from the cabaret lies a restaurant called Bistrot Poulbot. Operated by Chef Véronique Melloul, it is a great place to dine before taking in the show! Read our review in this month’s Le Bon Goût.

We interviewed Federico Santalla, one of the singers who used to perform at Le Lapin Agile. Read our account of his experience there in this month’s Paris, Past and Present.

All three of these articles can be found in the June issue of the Paris Insights newsletter. To subscribe, please click here.

Lionell Thomas Presents His Painting

Saturday, May 1st, 2010
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Lionell Thomas with Painting
Photograph courtesy of Troy Poplous

Shortly before a group of twelve young singers and actors from the McDonogh 35 College Preparatory High School left New Orleans to perform in the musical Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Banlieues Bleues festival in La Courneuve, near Paris, they were invited by the French consul Olivier Brochenin to a reception at his home. It was there that Lionell Thomas, the twin brother of one of the performers, presented a painting that honors the twelve students and their director, Troy Poplous. Thomas’ work will be featured at this year’s New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Read about the great performance that the students gave at the Banlieues Bleues Festival in this month’s Paris Insights newsletter. To join our ever growing list of subscribers, click on the “Subscribe” link on the newsletter announcement page, just above the title of the article. (Access to the newsletter is by paid subscription.)