Monsieur Camembert: Famous Blue Cheese

[jarkko]

Yesterday I received the brand new double-CD from Yaron in Australia, Famous Blue Cheese by Monsieur Camembert.

After listening to the album three times I must say that it's a direct hit, and goes to the top group of my all-time
favorite Cohen tribute albums. Fresh and intelligent interpretations of the old songs - sometimes also surprising (like
the cabaret-type version of The Future). And what a wonderful rendition of Famous Blue Raincoat (with
gorgeous sax solo)! The album is difficult to categorize - the band makes use of various styles and instruments. You have to hear these tracks yourself!

Special thanks for including Field Commander Cohen & Jazz Police - these are (as far as I know) the first cover versions of these songs. Jazz Police is pretty wild!

PS. Warning: the purists may be shocked!

[John the Shorts]

Jarkko

Maybe I'm dull but I can't see a link to purchase and/or download this album

[jarkko]

That info has been posted earlier elsewhere on this forum:

Thanks so much for the feedback about the sound-samples from our double Leonard Cohen CD Famous Blue Cheese - greatly appreciated!

I am pleased to announce that last week a 2hr Leonard Cohen special went to air in Australia on The Weekend Planet, ABC radio, which features 11 pieces from Famous Blue Cheese. It is available and streaming online for the next couple of weeks. Listen at ... http://www.abc.net.au/rn/weekendplanet/ ... 947823.htm

And...the CD is hot off the press, and can now be ordered at: http://www.islandwebs.com.au/applicatio ... ItemID=762

All the best!
Yaron Hallis
http://www.myspace.com/monsieurcamembert

[Henning]

It's indeed a good compilation in refreshing uptempo style. Closing time for instance is very funny and lively. BUT ... their Suzanne is a No-Go. Set into jazz you want your player to automatically skip it. Besides this ---- I have never heard a better version than the original on Leonard's first album.

[monsieurcamembert]

It's indeed a good compilation in refreshing uptempo style. Closing time for instance is very funny and lively. BUT ... their Suzanne is a No-Go. Set into jazz you want your player to automatically skip it. Besides this ---- I have never heard a better version than the original on Leonard's first album.

Hi there,

I just thought I’d respond to the comments about Suzanne.
When Elana Stone came to a rehearsal and sat down the piano and played her interpretation of Suzanne, I was, in a word, mortified. I thought it was sacrilegious, and unnecessary, like taking something as seminal and harmonically simple as Lennon’s Imagine, and re-voicing it with jazz chords. But the more I heard it, the more I started appreciating the sheer beauty of it. A sublime marriage of jagged chords with a simple exquisite melody; not a mirror-image cover, but a staggeringly original departure from the original. Unconsciously, I started appreciating Elana’s Suzanne completely in its own right, i.e. without the coloring thoughts of the Cohen original. By not referring back to the original, I was able to enjoy it without the musically defensive instincts I initially experienced. And in the 8 months I have been acquainted with her version of Suzanne, I have come to love it heart and soul!! Yes it is massively different from the original, but I believe it succeeds emotionally and musically. I would consider it exceptionally brave, but that would imply that Elana made a conscious, contrived decision to deliberately fuck with the song, and I’m quite sure that’s not her style. She would have simply sat down at the piano and played it in a way that was instinctive and relevant and appealing to herself. And in my humble opinion, I believe that’s one of the reasons it works so well, and is now one of my favorite tracks on the CD!

All the best!
Yaron Hallis

P.s. I’m curious what the general consensus is about Nina Simone’s version of Suzanne. It rates amongst my all-time favorite Cohen covers, and is also quite a radical departure from the original.

[Henning]

Hi Yaron - first congratulation to this CD. I am more into Ballads, Country music, Americana and Polka. Jazz gives me pain. Blues leaves me bored. It's different when I hear and see it life. Then I can accept those styles, too. You were in favor to follow Elena's fingers on the piano, so now you have this vision-accoustic link, which seems to make it different. I haven't heard Nina's version, but I am sure it's really something special, since she is a miracle. I liked Chris and Carla's version of Suzanne in Berlin, but generally I would recommend not to touch Suzanne. It's Leonard's unique master step in to the heart of people. Well, may be I am just kidding

[John the Shorts]

That info has been posted earlier elsewhere on this forum:

Thanks so much for the feedback about the sound-samples from our double Leonard Cohen CD Famous Blue Cheese - greatly appreciated!

I am pleased to announce that last week a 2hr Leonard Cohen special went to air in Australia on The Weekend Planet, ABC radio, which features 11 pieces from Famous Blue Cheese. It is available and streaming online for the next couple of weeks. Listen at ... http://www.abc.net.au/rn/weekendplanet/ ... 947823.htm

And...the CD is hot off the press, and can now be ordered at: http://www.islandwebs.com.au/applicatio ... ItemID=762

All the best!
Yaron Hallis
http://www.myspace.com/monsieurcamembert

Jarkko

Many thanks - i guess I don't browse here often enough

[jarkko]

Andrew forwarded me this review
(The Weekend Australian Review rag, current edition: 21 July).

[dick]

I've had my first two listens, and am enjoying the album very much.

Also glad I re-read Yaron's response on Suzanne, and think it will grow on me as well.

Finally, those fans planning on Philip Glass' Book of Longing should also keep an open mind as Yaron suggests.....

[dick]

This was especially the comment I was referencing....

"I started appreciating Elana’s Suzanne completely in its own right, i.e. without the coloring thoughts of the Cohen original. By not referring back to the original, I was able to enjoy it without the musically defensive instincts I initially experienced. "

I think that is why I enjoyed my third listen to Glass more than the first two, and why I am really looking forward to hearing it again in London and having it on cd at some point.

[lizzytysh]

I'm looking forward to Glass's production growing on me. I've not commented on it much. I've appreciated the positive comments that others have made on it, the same way that you did Yaron's, as it can help a person to reframe it; and I would like to have the opportunity to see it, again. I wish to heck they'd made a video/dvd of it. If I can figure out how to post a photo here, I have one that may certainly have affected my perception of what I saw and heard . On the other hand, the clips that I've listened to from Famous Blue Cheese, I've been able to relate to better. With Glass's, I kept looking for and wanting an accessible melody that I could resonate with and remember. If one slipped past me... .


~ Lizzy

[margaret]

I've not tried it yet, but Jarkko gave instructions on how to post a photo here, and I saved it to a WORD document in my computer. See below

Linking photo to forum message(Jarkko)

I have finally learned that with this new forum software it is now also possible to attach photos to
the messages from your own computer! When writing a message, find the
"upload attachment" button at the bottom, click on it and just specify the name of the
photo and its location in your computer!

[lizzytysh]

Thanks, Margaret. When I get home, I'll try it. I can say that already being familiar with Glass's work and approach would have helped in this endeavour... even though I've read that this was a departure . Even so, I know I'd have been better prepared in any case. I had only heard one excerpt from one piece that I knew to be by Glass. It was incorporated in a discussion of several composers, Glass being one of them. The presenters happened to select a rather full, lush, melodic piece, so I wasn't prepared for his overall style with Book of Longing. I'll write more later when I can attach the photo .

I'm very glad that Glass created a production, in any case. Even though I overheard many commenting on Leonard, I know there had to be at least some, if not many others, who attended because they're followers of Philip Glass. This potentially meant more becoming acquainted with Leonard's work.


~ Lizzy

[Sophia]

I loved it!
I couldn't imagine a tarantella "Closing time" or a dark cabaret version of "Jazz Police"!(which I really enjoyed!)
It's fresh, vivid and funny (I'm listening to it now!-third time I think?!)
Thanks again Blonde Madonna,

Sophia

[glida]

Dear All,

Just wanted to let you know that I tried to buy "Famous Blue Cheese" from Amazon in the U.S., and after about a month wait got an e-mail this morning saying that they were not able to get the album from their usual sources, and were canceling the order.

So, I just ordered the album from EBay for $47.89 AU (including air shipping) which comes out to about $40.25 USD.

So, that could be another source.

Fred