Uploaded November 2014 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
They were musicians too (6) = Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell (1847 - 1922) invented the telephone before he turned 30. His training and education came chiefly from his family and he is mostly self-taught. Bell played the piano.
FRANCK POURCEL
Pourcel attended the Conservatoire in Paris, focusing on studying the violin. While in school, he became acquainted with Stephane Grapelli, the jazz violinist whose Hot Club recordings with guitarist Django Reinhardt were the first major original European contributions to jazz. Pourcel himself tried to follow in Grapelli's footsteps, playing jazz violin in a number of different groups before he helped form the French Fiddlers in the late 1940s.
The French Fiddlers were a precursor to Claude Bolling, Jacques Loussier, and the Swingle Singers, all of whom tried to blend classical--particularly baroque--material and jazz. They were classically trained violinists, but they aimed for a popular audience. By the early 1950s, the Fiddlers were one of the most successful instrumental groups in France, and their 1952 version of Leroy Anderson's "Blue Tango" was a big hit.
The Fiddlers continued to stay up with the latest trends in pop, and as rock and roll became more popular, Pourcel began to shift his rhythms from swing to rock. Although numerous space age pop musicians--Eric Jupp, Ray Martin, and Stu Phillips among others--added a rock rhythm section and electric guitars to the standard easy listening orchestra, Pourcel was perhaps the earliest, and certainly his cover of the Platter's hit, "Only You," was the most successful example of this approach, reaching the U.S. Top Ten list in 1959.
Pourcel also deserves mention as the earliest artist to pay tribute to Les Baxter. Pourcel recorded Baxter's "La Femme," a lush and very "serious" suite of thematically linked numbers that's probably sought after now more for the female nude on the cover than for any of the music within. Several others from his early Capitol albums also include tracks Baxter composed especially for Pourcel.
Pourcel's recordings can be confused with that of his countryman, Paul Mauriat, which isn't surprising, given that the two men were also collaborators. Their most successful work together was done under pseudonyms--J. W. Stole (Pourcel) and Del Roma (Mauriat)--was the melody for a 1961 tune, "Chariot." If that title doesn't sound familiar to American listeners, it's because in the US people know it as "I Will Follow Him," which was a Top 10 hit for Little Peggy March in 1963.
TWEEDLEE DEE
"Tweedlee Dee" (also "Tweedly Dee" or "Tweedle Dee") is a rhythm and blues novelty song with a Latin-influenced riff written by Winfield Scott for Lavern Baker and recorded by her at Atlantic Records' studio in New York City in 1954. It was her first hit reaching nbr 14 on the Pop charts. It was also Winfield Scott's first successful composition. The song has been recorded by numerous other artists, including Elvis Presley and Bill Haley and His Comets.
MHO
Master arranger Pourcel at work here, turning a 1954 Lavern Baker song into a lavish sounding orchestral masterpiece.
Like no other Pourcel succeeds in his mission to 'transform' the song in such a way, that it can be played by a big orchestra - in this case (and in most other Pourcel recordings) by his "Grand Orchestre" which consisted of some 50 musicians.
The name 'Franck Pourcel' was - and still is - a synonym for "top quality easy listening" - which explains the worldwide success of this legendary "French Fiddler". Enjoy !
They were musicians too (6) = Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell (1847 - 1922) invented the telephone before he turned 30. His training and education came chiefly from his family and he is mostly self-taught. Bell played the piano.
FRANCK POURCEL
Pourcel attended the Conservatoire in Paris, focusing on studying the violin. While in school, he became acquainted with Stephane Grapelli, the jazz violinist whose Hot Club recordings with guitarist Django Reinhardt were the first major original European contributions to jazz. Pourcel himself tried to follow in Grapelli's footsteps, playing jazz violin in a number of different groups before he helped form the French Fiddlers in the late 1940s.
The French Fiddlers were a precursor to Claude Bolling, Jacques Loussier, and the Swingle Singers, all of whom tried to blend classical--particularly baroque--material and jazz. They were classically trained violinists, but they aimed for a popular audience. By the early 1950s, the Fiddlers were one of the most successful instrumental groups in France, and their 1952 version of Leroy Anderson's "Blue Tango" was a big hit.
The Fiddlers continued to stay up with the latest trends in pop, and as rock and roll became more popular, Pourcel began to shift his rhythms from swing to rock. Although numerous space age pop musicians--Eric Jupp, Ray Martin, and Stu Phillips among others--added a rock rhythm section and electric guitars to the standard easy listening orchestra, Pourcel was perhaps the earliest, and certainly his cover of the Platter's hit, "Only You," was the most successful example of this approach, reaching the U.S. Top Ten list in 1959.
Pourcel also deserves mention as the earliest artist to pay tribute to Les Baxter. Pourcel recorded Baxter's "La Femme," a lush and very "serious" suite of thematically linked numbers that's probably sought after now more for the female nude on the cover than for any of the music within. Several others from his early Capitol albums also include tracks Baxter composed especially for Pourcel.
Pourcel's recordings can be confused with that of his countryman, Paul Mauriat, which isn't surprising, given that the two men were also collaborators. Their most successful work together was done under pseudonyms--J. W. Stole (Pourcel) and Del Roma (Mauriat)--was the melody for a 1961 tune, "Chariot." If that title doesn't sound familiar to American listeners, it's because in the US people know it as "I Will Follow Him," which was a Top 10 hit for Little Peggy March in 1963.
TWEEDLEE DEE
"Tweedlee Dee" (also "Tweedly Dee" or "Tweedle Dee") is a rhythm and blues novelty song with a Latin-influenced riff written by Winfield Scott for Lavern Baker and recorded by her at Atlantic Records' studio in New York City in 1954. It was her first hit reaching nbr 14 on the Pop charts. It was also Winfield Scott's first successful composition. The song has been recorded by numerous other artists, including Elvis Presley and Bill Haley and His Comets.
MHO
Master arranger Pourcel at work here, turning a 1954 Lavern Baker song into a lavish sounding orchestral masterpiece.
Like no other Pourcel succeeds in his mission to 'transform' the song in such a way, that it can be played by a big orchestra - in this case (and in most other Pourcel recordings) by his "Grand Orchestre" which consisted of some 50 musicians.
The name 'Franck Pourcel' was - and still is - a synonym for "top quality easy listening" - which explains the worldwide success of this legendary "French Fiddler". Enjoy !
