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The last waltz
Iconic French octogenarian’s first new album in five years.
By Sylvie Simmons.
Bittersweet symphonies: Jean Claude Vannier (right) and mandolin player Vincent Beer-Demander know the score.
Jean Claude Vannier ★★★★
Et Son Orchestre De Mandolines
IPECAC. CD/DL/LP
SYMPHONIC, ROMANTIC, conceptual, tender, melodic – and bonkers. You can see why composer/arranger Jean Claude Vannier and Serge Gainsbourg got along so well. Outside of France, Vannier is probably best known for his work with Gainsbourg, in particular their brilliant, hugely influential collaboration on Histoire De Melody Nelson. But since the late ’60s, Vannier has worked with artists from Johnny Hallyday to Sean Lennon to Astor Piazzolla, as well as a long list of soundtracks and various albums of his own. Vannier’s last album Corpse Flower (2019) was a collaboration with Faith No More/Mr Bungle’s Mike Patton, whom he met 13 years ago at a Serge Gainsbourg tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Patton released that album, and this one, on his own record label.