Pas des Colporteurs

Walking around in Laval delivering flyers, you see alot of "No Soliciting" property signs on people's homes. Common signs read "Pas de Circulaire" or "Pas de Publicité", but every once in a while those most worried about having to deal with unwanted advertising reveal themselves, with a sign that reads "Pas des Colporteurs".

Desperate to keep myself amused throughout the 9 hour+ of delivering flyers (the final count today was 1696, or just under $136), I thought (with Nabokovian glee) of one the greatest contributers to the Great American Songbook, Cole Porter. I came with a list of my favourite interpretations of his songs. Coincidentally, they are all heavy on the sax players. I don't have my record collection here, so I'm not going to really say much about them.

Joe Henderson - Night and Day (Inner Urge, 1964) - This is the first Joe Henderson record I ever heard, and quite possibly still my favourite.

John Coltrane - I Love You (Lush Life, 1958) - Love what Art Taylor plays for the intro. Diminished patterns. Time and sound from Trane.

Dexter Gordon - Love for Sale (Go! 1962) - There are other great versions of this tune from around the same time (Something Else and the 58 sessions) but I always forget about this one. I remember some very hip grace notes in the melody. I need to buy this album again. I also love "A Swingin' Affair" A year later, same great band.

Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan - Anything Goes (Getz meets Mulligan, 1957) - I really love this record. Both sound like they're singing straight through their horns. Mulligan sounds unusually good here (don't always like his sound). These guys can burn, creating singable melodies over standard changes at fast tempos. They're totally in tune with each other thematically, playing at the same time on the last tunes, Scrapple from the Apple in particular. A great collection of seldom-played standards. Plus, it's Ray Brown. Enough said.

Steve Lacy - Easy to Love (Soprano Sax, 1957)

Paul Motian - Just One of Those Things (On Broadway Vol. 3, 2004) - This one's the odd man out, but I love these records, and with Lee Konitz it's just great. It's interesting to hear Paul Motian and Lee Konitz play fast tempos late in their careers. The On Broadway were also my first introduction to Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell. Check out what Frisell plays right off the bat of his solo. Too funny. This band is so weird. I love it.

So in the end, I never figured out why the French don't like Cole Porter. I think he's great, though.