Whatever happened to St. Germain?

[ChiTownAbs, Inc]

They had two pretty good albums, then they just kinda disappeared. I know they were going to tour here in Y01, but the visas were not approved as it was post 9/11. I haven't heard ANYTHING about them since.

They were the first band that turned me to a techno jazz. I've dug it ever since.

[Gunshy]

Yeah, I concur, where are they?

I only just picked up a copy of the 2-disc "limited edition" of "Tourist" as I realized it has a track on it not on their other discs.

-Gunshy

[ChiTownAbs, Inc]

What other groups do you dig in the same genre? I've picked up a few 'St. Germaine' CDs from Virgin, but they're more like compliation CDs. (I should just buy the whole CDs from which the compliation was created)

[auto]

Great question.

I was just listening to some Zero 7 tonight. That band and St.G used to get a lot of play when I have people over and want something mellow in the stereo.

[atlantamoi]

I tried St. Germain 10 years ago and then just recently with their double disc comp. and I can't get into them. I don't know if the music just seems D.O.A. (dated on arrival) or what, but a band like Zero 7 that auto mentioned is more preferable.

[ryuryu2949]

FYI, I think St. Germain is not a "they" but rather is 1 guy who produces the songs from electronic instruments and samples. Maybe a guest vocalist or two. But yea, I enjoyed St. Germain's albums.

[atlantamoi]

FYI, I think St. Hermain is not a "they" but rather is 1 guy who produces the songs from electronic instruments and samples. Maybe a guest vocalist or two.
Is his name Lynyrd or Pink? ;) I didn't know it was one guy.

[joselito]

St Germain ownz, I cant get into Zero 7 though.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

Ludovic Navarre is his name.

[atlantamoi]

Okay, I just listened to disc two. MUCH better, especially the last half. With a bit more production this stuff is very good.

[The Bus]

St. Germain, to me, is a poor man's acid jazz. He has some AMAZING songs, namely "Rose Rouge" and "So Flute" but that's pretty much where it ends. Reminds me a lot of Faithless, in that they too were able to make a handful of good songs but everything else runs the gamut from banal to horrid.

I'd highly recommend anyone who likes St. Germain to pick up Soulive's Turn it Out Remixed (with remixes of this band's jazz songs by DJ Krush among others), DJ Krush, Greyboy, Zero 7, Morcheeba (first two albums), Fila Brazilia, Jazzanova, Thievery Corporation, and Air.

[auto]

Another recommendation for Fila Brazilia

[Gunshy]

What other groups do you dig in the same genre? I've picked up a few 'St. Germaine' CDs from Virgin, but they're more like compliation CDs. (I should just buy the whole CDs from which the compliation was created)

Lots. Although I am partial to full instrumental tracks versus those with vocals. I do however like some of this genre that use vocal samples. I just think vocals are distracting - if I want to hear "jazz" vocals I'll listen to Sarah Vaughan.

Anyway, here is my list of recommended nu-jazz with a leaning on "old school "releases:

9 Lazy 9 - (Can't recommend these guys enough, all their releases are good but look for the Ninja Tune re-issues with extra tracks)

DJ Cam - Mad Blunted Jazz (a bit of a classic it seems)

Pfeuti - Pigeon Post (if you get the Japanese release you don't have to put up with a crappy digi-pak)

Bugge Wesseltoft - New Conception of Jazz

SF Jazz Collective - S/T (SF = San Francisco, on Nonesuch in a cool moire slip case)

Parov Stelar - Rough Cuts (some vocals but the rest is solid nu-jazz)

Gerardo Frisina - Hi Note (just getting into him, Bossa flavored nu-jazz with vocals on one track)

James Hardway - Welcome to the Neon Lounge (his most nu-jazzy release)

Plastyc Buddha - Throwing Stones in Placid Pools (just picked this up, good downtempo jazzy D'n'B)

Slide Five - People, Places & Things (you can buy it from Ubiquity's web site, great more mainstream nu-jazz sounds)

Julien Lourau - Groove Gang (might be hard to find, great alt.jazz)

Julien Lourau - Gambit (excellent nu-jazz release, a classic, a must if you like St. Germain and 9 Lazy 9 - OOP Japanese version has a bonus track)

Hipnosis - Carousel (good more mainstream nu-jazz sounds)

Hipnosis - Jazz (playful, reminds me of the heyday of the Lounge Lizards)

Barrio Jazz Gang - Spectrum (vox on two tracks, "Echoes of jazzy house, bossanova and african rhythms" from the cover)

Sleepwalker - S/T (co-produced by Kyoto Jazz Massive)

Sambada - Flame

Wax Doctor - Selected Works 94-96 (techno leanings)

Jaga Jazzist - Livingroom Hush (All their stuff is good but I prefer this one, get the Japanese release as it has three bonus tracks)

Gerd - High, Wide and Wonderful (good mellow bossa-tinged lounge with jazzy overtones)

Down to the Bone - Cellar Funk (bouncy boppy jazz grooves with some techno flourishes)

Subjazz Proxy (with Gerald Wiggins) - Autumn Somewhere (great OOP nu-jazz from 1997)

Frederic Galliano - Electronic Sextet (strange but wonderful alt.jazz sounds - Japanse version has one bonus track)

Frederic Galliano - Espaces Baroques (similar to ES above - the almost impossible to find Japanese version has three bonus tracks)

Flavornaughts - My Inbred Pedigree Chums (laid back techno jazziness)

Greyboy - Freestylin' (his first couple releases were fine nu-jazz inna DJ flavor but then he turned to rap sounds and lost me - this one is a classic)

Red Snapper - Prince Blimey (this has a more nu-jazz feel than their others but don't overlook "Making Bones" - there is a Japanese version with two bonus tracks)

Metropolitan Jazz Affair - S/T (their only release, great nu-jazz sounds from 2003)

Differenz - Jazz Workshop (a more techno flavored release but a classic too)

Colorblind (aka DJ Spider & Jun Matsuoko) - S/T (not the dance band, I think this is their only CD, some aggressive lyrics don't hurt it - Japanese version has one bonus track and a different cover)

Whistling Hangmen - Barhopping (jangly Lounge-Lizard-like nu-jazz with some very low-fi sounds)

Laurent de Wilde - Stories (vox on track four but otherwise stronge nu-jazz sounds)

John B (UK) - Visions (I particularly like disc 1 "Orgainic" as it has some nice d'n'b jazzy sounds, uses much sampling, out-of-print I believe)

Exodus Quartet - Way Out There (a classic of the genre in my opinion, sadly out of print now, 1996 Instinct Records)

Holland Tunnel Project - A Smooth Blend of Jazz (hard to find nu-jazz on the Irma label)

Ute - Free to Be... Free to Breathe (One of a kind jazzy release from 1992, still around if you can find it, great early nu-jazz)

Lounge Lizards - Big Heart: Live in Tokyo (yeah, OK, they haven't release anything since 1998's "Qeen of All Ears" which came seven years after their last release, and it seems they are officially kaput after their ill-fated 1999 tour, but I wanted to mention them for all alt.jazz lovers who might not have heard them. You cannot go wrong with any of their releases. Just know that their live in Germany set is a bit more quiet and laid back than their other releases. Also, the recently re-issued Japanese version of "Big Heart" contains three more tracks than the older domestic release but is missing one of the tracks from that CD - go figure)

I added a couple more CDs to the list that I discovered in a box with some other stuff!

-Gunshy

[Achtung]

Well seeing this thread certainly brought a little smile to my face. St. Germain definitely put out some good stuff, and I'm glad to see the other recommendations from the genre. I'll have to check some of it out.

[The Bus]

Greyboy - Freestylin' (his first couple releases were fine nu-jazz inna DJ flavor but then he turned to rap sounds and lost me - this one is a classic)


Mastered the Art is one of my favorite records, period. What I like about Greyboy is that he's traveling across different styles. I love soul, and I wasn't a big fan of Soul Mosaic but some of the stuff on there is really nice.

[Ghostface180]

I recommend Madlib's Shades of Blue, as well as all of his Yesterdays New Quintet albums.