With Nougaro songs bopping in my brain after the picnic, I knew I had to find out more about this quintessential French singer. If you think of French music, what comes to mind? Probably the sound of Nougaro, even if you didn't know his name. He is to the French what I would consider Kazantzidis is to Greeks. His lyrics are poetry, and his voice is unique with its pronounced Toulousian accent. He was born in Toulouse in 1929 to an opera singer father and a piano teacher mother and although he never learned how to read music or play an instrument, he was an avid listener of not only classical, but homegrown pop and American swing. He even wrote a song called 'Armstrong', a tribute to Louis Armstrong, and did his own version of 'Nobody Knows' (Nobody knows the trouble I've seen...). He was infatuated with American jazz music and collaborated with many jazz greats in the late 50's and early 60's. The political events of May 1968 inspired him to write the song 'Paris Mai', a plea for life, which was banned from the airwaves. Throughout the 70's his popularity declined. In the 80's, after his French record company wouldn't renew his contract, he went to New York City for inspiration. There he released a comeback album called Nougayork, which skyrocketed him back into the spotlight and won him a best album and best artist award.
Claude Nougaro died on March 4, 2004 at the age of 74, and the whole country wept.
A visit to his official website, www.nougaro.com, though confirms that the music and poetry of Nougaro lives on and our afternoon at the winery proved that he is still very much loved and listened to by many.
"L'éternal troubadour laisse une ville orpheline et un pays sous le choc. Homme plein de verve, d'humour et de coeur, impregné de jazz, de rock et de world music, sa poésie et son art sont une éternelle explosion des mots et d'amour."
"The eternal troubadour leaves a city orphaned and a country in shock. A man full of wit, humour and heart, imbued with jazz, java, rock and world music, his poetry and his art are an eternal explosion of words and love."(from www.nougaro.com)
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