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"Raquel Bitton sings Edith Piaf..the Golden
album" Into the Millenium...I discovered the repertoire of Edith Piaf in 1982 . I remember that year well. I had literally stitched together a tiny revue on her life and songs and presented it in a tiny Cabaret in San Francisco, a place with a coffee can sound, on top of the Hill. Since that day, I had known what I was truly doe- eyed with on the subject of Piaf, and it was not who she had had love affairs with or the tragedies of her life, which God only knows she had plenty of, but rather her repertoire mesmerized me. It was obvious to me that her life was in her songs, and I wondered how in the world did she command this array of very talented composers and lyricist to write only for her? I made it my quest to search and travel to Paris and meet some of the composers that had bestowed upon her their life long treasures for only her to sing. One of them, Henri Contet, most impressed me and we became pen pals since 1992. I visited him last in Paris on January 27 1998, three months before he passed away at the age of 92 . Our friendship was so sweet to me, I was reviving the songs he wrote over 5o years ago and he saw in me that flame so Piafesque that never dies. Needless to say I was honored, flattered and grateful for his friendship. When it came to Piaf and her songs, I only had to close my eyes and imagine a play with music*", or a concept for a full length Ballet (although "Le chemin des Forains" was not part of the song list in "Hearts", I later found out, Piaf sang it in Maurice Bejart's first Ballet), or a radio documentary and a TV documentary* .The opportunities were endless. In selecting those songs which would appear on this album, I once again had to close my eyes, speak to my heart and go over the more than 400 songs she had recorded and pick and choose what would thrill an American audience as well (In his latest CD, Jazz legend Toots Thielemens, who had played Guitar for Piaf, pays tribute to Piaf in two songs sung by Diana Krall and Shirley Horn "Chez Toots"). The music and the words had to be outstanding. Django Reinhardt accompanies Piaf in her version of "Cri du Coeur" which summarizes the Piaf Phenomenon, the cry of the heart, with its joys or sorrows.From my heart to yours, I give you the music of Edith Piaf. *"The nights of Edith Piaf".(Radio show for
NPR's Soundprint) Co-Producer RBitton
"Il n'y aura jamais une autre Piaf,mais de ses cendres sortiront de nouvelles voix qu'elle aura inspire.. "Maurice Chevalier Elle m'a tout appris,l'amour des belles chansons,l'amour
de la poesie. No one can ignore her Executive producer: Raquel Bitton Bob Holloway, Although we have collaborated on three
previous CD's, Our Musical partnership began with the songs of Edith Piaf,
in 1985,when you orchestrated and arranged for 100 piece orchestra,
"Hearts...Le Ballet des coeurs". Prior to that, all I knew as
accompaniment was a piano, a violin and an accordion. At the exception of
the pianist, no one had a chart. So when I first stood in front of the San
Francisco Ballet orchestra and for the first time heard the magnificence
of your orchestrations, I thought I was at the gates of heaven. I tracked
you down after the run, spoke to you in a trembling voice and asked you if
you would give me a chance to sing those songs outside of the Ballet
setting, so it could give me a chance in the future to experiene bigger
venues like the Pops series. Not only you gave me your blessings, you made
sure I had more songs orchestrated. There is no doubt in my mind that you
are the very reason why my career propelled from a tiny cabaret to grand
theaters. Today, you and I will pay tribute to the Piaf songbook, giving
it all our heart...into the millenium.. we bring in the songs of Edith
Piaf.
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