La Biguine from Martinique (1932): Adrien Lamy & Orch. Pierre Chagnon - La Biguine

Adrien Lamy de Casino de Paris & Orchestra Pierre Chagnon – La Biguine (C’est la biguine) from the Film Operette “Il est charmant”(He Is Gallant) (Willemetz – Moretti), Columbia 1931 (French recording; pressed in Italy) NOTE: Adrien LAMY (born Adrien Maurice Édouard Castarède in Paris, 1896 – died 1940 in Orléans, France) was a French stage, film, and cabaret actor and singer. He appeared in several French films in the 1930s and is also known for his performances in Parisian music-halls, including the Casino de Paris. Perhaps his most famous performance came in 1930, when he partnered Joséphine Baker in her signature hit "J’ai deux Amours" (I Have Two Loves/ My Homeland and Paris). Recorded: Columbia, 1930    • Joséphine Baker - J'ai deux amours, 1930   Adrien Lamy tragically died from wounds sustained during the German bombing of Orléans, while he was presumably fleeing Paris for southwestern France following the German invasion in July 1940. The French comedy film "Il est charmant," featuring Moretti & Willemetz's lively songs and the truly charming and handsome actor Henri Garat, gained international popularity in Europe. However, the French title was not universally acclaimed. For example, the Swedes preferred to call the film "Studenter i Paris" (Students in Paris), because it tells the story of a young lawyer who takes a job in Paris and becomes entangled in liaison amoureuse. The Italians, however, chose a title completely incomprehensible to Western European audiences: "The Merry Notary" (L'allegro Notaio). How could someone as dull as a professional notary be the hero of an operetta? This likely stems from the fact that Italians, with their love of commedia dell'arte, were already familiar with the whiny Harlequin, the flirtatious Colombine, the dry Il Dottore, and the boastful Scaramuccio. Why couldn't they have The merry Notary as well? The song "La Biguine" refers to a rhythmic dance and musical style that originated in Saint-Pierre, Martinique, in the 19th century. It combined traditional West African musical genres such as bélé with 19th-century French dance steps. Therefore, over the following decades, it began to permeate Parisian social circles, particularly during the Colonial Exposition of 1931. During this time, several Martinique biguine artists, such as Alexandre Stellio, Sam Castandet or singer Léona Gabriel, moved to France, where they achieved considerable popularity. From the 1930s to the 1960s, the biguine dance spread throughout Europe and also became popular among the Creoles of New Orleans, Louisiana. However, its popularity waned relatively quickly, although in the second half of the 20th century, biguine musicians such as clarinet virtuoso Michel Godzom continued to popularize the genre. The characteristic sound of the biguine is the interplay of clarinet and trombone, both solo and in duet, which can still be heard in Antillean music today. The slideshow features several vintage posters and photos from the French Martinique. See side B of this record with a brillianf fox-trot from that movie: “En parlant en peu de Paris”    • Paris 1930s: Adrien Lamy - En parlant en p...