MICHEL LEGRAND
LA PISCINE OST (1969)
+BONUS 7" UN HOMME EST MORT OST (1972)
Release date: 12 June 2021
WWSLP48 3700604731269
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MICHEL LEGRAND'S CULT SOUNDTRACK FOR JACQUES DERAY'S 1969 CLASSIC 'LA PISCINE' GETS REISSUED WITH THREE BONUS TRACKS MAKING THEIR VINYL DEBUT. FEATURING NEWLY REMASTERED AUDIO, GATEFOLD SLEEVE DESIGNED BY ERIC ADRIAN LEE AND LINER NOTE BY JEREMY ALLEN. THE RSD EDITION WILL ALSO INCLUDE A FACSIMILE OF LEGRAND'S SUPER RARE 7" OST FOR DERAY'S 1972 FILM, 'UN HOMME EST MORT'.
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Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue one of Michel Legrand's best soundtracks composed for the French Psychological thriller "La Piscine" (The Swiming Pool), released in 1969 and featuring Alain Delon and Romy Schneider. Legrand penned the score straight after "The Thomas Crown Affair" OST and it features the same ultra cool mix of memorable themes, slick jazzy instrumentals and funky, sophisticated pop songs. The full soundtrack was only released in Japan and France and is now extremely rare. It is here augmented with three bonus tracks that have never been released on vinyl, all newly remastered and housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve designed by Eric Adrian Lee with new liner notes by British Journalist Jeremy Allen. As a RSD Bonus we’ve also included Legrand’s ultra rare funky 7” soundtrack for “Un Homme Est Mort" from 1972 in its original artwork.
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When 'La Piscine' was was released in France in January 1969, it created a stir and became an instant classic. Starring the sexy duet of Alain Delon and
Romy Schneider, it had all the ingredient for a smash hit: stunning
actors, a great story of jealousy and sexual tension and the magical sun-drenched setting of the French Riviera. All you needed was a soundtrack to match and Deray turned to Michel Legrand who had struck gold with "The Umbrella Of Cherbourg” and "The Thomas Crown Affair".
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For “La Piscine”, Legrand came up with the same magic: a great theme which he declined in several jazzy and groovy variations to match the moods and tensions of the film. For the "Main Theme" and "De Souvenirs En Regrets" Legrand invited his sister Christiane, also a gifted singer, to scat with him and mirror the Delon-Schneider couple on screen. Also invited was French violin ace Stephane Grappelli who play on several queues. To spice up the score and reflect the party mood of late 60s Cote D'Azur, Legrand added a pinch of groove with "Dans La Soiree" and two funky pop songs penned by Marilyn and Alan Bergman, the jerky "Run, Brother Rabbit, Run" sung by Delaney Bramlett (who was starting Delaney & Bonnie) and the superb mid-tempo "Ask Yourself Why" sung by Sally Stevens.
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This reissue of "La Piscine" is accompanied by three bonus tracks, the original queue for the opening credit plus two superb variations in the form of "Chassé Croisé" featuring Eddy Louiss' Hammond Organ and the languid "Une Enquete" featuring Grappelli. For RSD the release is augmented with the super rare and funky 7" of another Legrand-Deray collaboration from 1972 for the film "Un Homme Est Mort.” The soundtrack only came out in France as a single at the time which has become a highly sought-after nugget on the jazz funk digging scene and is reissued here in its original artwork. All in all, this is pure undiluted Michel Legrand from his best period which Wewantsounds is happy to present with remastered audio and deluxe presentation.
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