Album guide
Modern Jazz Performances from Bizet’s Opera Carmen
- Composer
- Bizet
- Released
- 1959
- Label
- Contemporary
- Forces
- Guitar
- Personnel
- Barney Kessel guitar, with thirteen musicians on woodwinds, trumpet, trombone, piano, vibraphone, bass and drums
Contemporary Records advertised Carmen as the first modern-jazz version of an opera, and asked composer Vernon Duke, an admirer of Bizet, to write the original sleeve note.
Critics were divided: John Tynan praised its skill and “rich sense of humor” while deciding that the experiment itself had not come off. but personally, I love it!
Hear both
The classical side contains only the source pieces used on the album, in album order. The jazz side presents the complete album whenever a dependable copy can be embedded.
The listening queues above follow the same order. The classical player omits tracks that are not based on a classical original.
Spotify’s player is here for convenience; the full track listing below remains available to everyone.
Source works
The album’s complete track listing, with each classical source identified and original compositions marked plainly.
- Swingin’ The ToreadorCarmen: Toreador Song, ‘Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre’ (Act II)
- A Pad On The Edge Of TownCarmen: Seguidilla, ‘Près des remparts de Séville’ (Act I)
- If You Dig MeCarmen: Duet, Escamillo and Carmen, ‘Si tu m’aimes’ (Act IV)
- Free As A BirdCarmen: Habanera, ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle’ (Act I)
- Viva El Toro!Carmen: Toreadors’ March and Chorus, ‘Les voici’ (Act IV)
- FlowersvilleCarmen: Flower Song, ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’ (Act II)
- Carmen’s CoolCarmen: Carmen’s dance, ‘Je vais danser en votre honneur’ (Act II)
- Like, There Is No Place Like...Carmen: Duet, Don José and Micaëla, ‘Parle-moi de ma mère’ (Act I)
- The Gipsy’s HipCarmen: Chanson bohème, ‘Les tringles des sistres tintaient’ (Act II)