Edith Piaf
 

Has anyone been to the Piaf Museum? Thoughts? Also, can you still hear similar music at a club in Paris?

Goodness, I didn't know there was a museum!! 6 years ago I saw her grave in Pere Lachaise. I enjoy her voice whenever I hear it. I look forward to any info..

I just adore Edith Piaf the "little sparrow of Paris:..I did not realized that there was a museum to commemorate her accomplishments.

yeah, there is a little place over in Belleville, but I haven't been there. I have never known of a club that really has exactly that style of music anymore. Given how popular she is, you'd think there would be a place like that, but I have a feeling that's the kind of thing that appeals to tourists more than others.

There are occasional performers who sing some of those songs in better clubs for special concerts, however (like Karen Akers or Karin Allyson, two of my favorites, and I know they play Paris occasionally). Diana Krall has done so, also. For everyday drop-in cheap places, I don't know of one exactly like Piaf, although I've heard of random sightings.

For a pretty good description of the "museum" go to this site:
http://www.jack-travel.com/Paris/Par...aris_EPiaf.htm

The Edith Piaf Museum is at 5 rue Crespin Du Gast. Closest Metro station is Menilmontant on line 2. You can only enter the museum by appointment Monday thru Friday from 1 pm to 6 pm. For appointment call 43 55 52 72. Don't expect much.

Larry J

Christina - you mentioned clubs - any suggestions 9we will be in Paris next week)

There is an exhibition on Piaf and her life at the Hotel de Ville until next January - very atmospheric but no complete performances (it is of course aimed at Parisians who are presumed to know a lot already, and it is all in French). There are a couple of video clips from TV interviews she did in the 50s/60s - one of them showed a lively giggly side to her public personality that I would never have assumed from the songs, which made me think of a number of English music hall and theatre stars with a similar hold on their fans, but a completely different performing style.

http://parisbydesign.com/page04.php3...=68&menu=4

We have seen Karen Akers in NYC at the now sadly gone Rainbow Room, at the Algonquin, etc. In my opinion she is the closest thing today to Edith Piaf. She does not mimic her but sings in the style of Piaf. Karen chante les chansons romantique comme Piaf.

Actually, I think Karen Akers is better than Piaf, but that is personal taste, I know (I've never been crazy about Piaf).

Club suggestions? In the 9th, there is the wellknown Casino de Paris which has shows (as well as a casino, I guess) www.casinodeparis.com You are in luck that all next week, Pierre Perret is singing there (tickets about 30-45 euro, I see). He is a male French chasonnier with a long history and following. He'snot like Piaf or females, but more on the lines of Georges Brassens, if you like that kind of stuff. Here is a bio of him I found which describeds him and his music fairly well so you could decide (although they may be sold out by now)
http://www.rfimusique.com/siteEn/bio...aphie_6175.asp

There is also an authentic French chanson club in the 9th, Au Limonaire. this is on a small pedestrian street, Cite Bergere, not far from the Grands Boulevards metro stop. They have various acts almost every night, beginning about 10 pm, as I recall. I checked their schedule http://limonaire.free.fr and the singers on next Fri-Sat look most like what you'd want, but the brief description (Sandra Faure, in particular). This club has no cover, so it might be worth a drop-by. they serve food but you need to get there well enough before the show so they can finish serving. they should pass the hat for the singer, so you can put in a voluntary offering.

Other than that, you might try Trois Maillets on rue Galant near the Seine in the Latin Qtr, a wellknown jazz/variete club with some singers of various styles. There are the more wellknown jazz clubs, of course (such as the Slow Club on rue de Rivoli, the Sunset/Sunside clubs on rue des Lombards, etc). You should be able to read about them in an entertainment guide like Pariscope or check listings on www.jazzvalley.com

The Olympia is really a wellknown and historic club in the 9th near Opera garnier www.olympiahall.com. It is larger, bigger stars play there (Au Limonaire is strictly lesser knowns). Amazingly, their schedule lists a woman doing a Homage to Piaf on Nov. 16th, Sunday, and tickets are about 26-39 euro. I would go to that, not only for the show (I'm sure it can't be terrible if at the Olympia) but for the historica theater.

A few years ago, PBS had a wonderful show about Piaf. From birth to her funeral, when the entire city of Paris stopped for the day. There were videos of she and her young husband being silly, she was old and quite frail by then. It was the most heartbreaking film I have ever seen about a performer. We ordered the music right away!
While I think Karen Ackers is very good, I would never compare her to Piaf, other than the two are female singers.

I agree with Kate on that. She sings some of the same songs that Piaf did, but I don't think her style is like Piaf's, which may be why I like her better. Both she and K Allyson sing some of those same songs from that time period (Je ne regrette rien, Milord, Les Feuilles Mortes, Padam, etc). I always liked Barbara better than Piaf, but I never heard Piaf live, of course, just some old recordings so maybe that's why.

Regarding Edith Piaf's appearance in the late years of her life. She never really recovered from a very bad auto accident in 1951. She also drank heavily and used pain killers due to the accident therefore she looked frail but she was never old. She died at the age of 47 in 1963. Another point worth mentioning is that it would not be entirely fair to compare her to present day singers since audio technologies are much better today than in her day to say nothing of her presentation and stage presence.

Larry J

Wow. Some great ideas and links. Thank you!

I especially appreciate the details on the music clubs, Christina.

My husband and I didn't get to any clubs on our other Paris visits and we want to make up for it this time around.

This is great thanks for the club suggestions!!