En Passant

Really love it, recommend it to anyone

I have friends who collect the music of contemporary French performers. Jean-Jacques Goldman is one of the performers that I have repeatedly heard when I am visiting their home. They gave me this CD as a present and I have enjoyed listening to this broad selection of eleven songs sung by Goldman and performed by his very talented band. For the most part, the selections are firmly in the popular category, with reference to Paul Simon. However there are a few works that reflect the Blues and have some resonance with the work of Tom Petty. Both BOb Dylan and Bruce Springstein also comes to mind when listening to Goldman. Goldman is a seasoned mature performer and the music is totally under control. Goldman has had a thirty year music career in France and his skills as a performer are certainly evident in this CD.

I had previously heard the 'Fredericks, Goldman, Jones' album, and I found Carole Fredericks' husky voice and bad English accent a serious blot on an otherwise fairly good but not outstanding piece of work. En Passant was much more reassuring. It's good to see that Goldman's talent in song writing for other people (like Aicha and Le Jour Viendra for Cheb Khaled, and the album 'D'eux' and now "S'il suffisait d'aimer" for Celine Dion) has finally manifested itself in his own music. I loved this; Goldman does better on his own than writing for others; his songs for Celine (no doubt influenced by her greater popularity) display a lyrical banality that is absent from 'En Passant'. On the contrary: En Passant combines great music with sincere and often quite profound lyrics in a very appealing album. Buy it!

Jean Jaques Goldman is a sheer genius! En Passant shows how he has matured as a songwriter. The influence of Aretha Franklin and the immortal Eddie Cochran is still present, but Goldman tries a few new things on this album. There's classic rock 'n' roll on tracks like "Natacha", while he dives into the world of gangsta rap on songs like "Bon Idee". Say what you will about his contoversial behavior off the stage, there is still no doubt that Goldman is the best french-speaking artist to ever bear the name Jean-Jaques!

Honestly, I am not JJG's biggest fan. I own two of his CD's and am familiar with a couple of other songs from other discs. I do like this album for what it is, and I would recommend it, especially to those studying French, to get a taste of French music. My favorite song on this CD is "Sache que je." It is one of those songs that could last 10-15 minutes, and I wouldn't get bored with it. For me, this is a great CD for background music. When it ends, I don't want to put on anything else because I end up in a very calm mood and don't want it disturbed. I give it 4 stars because I think this is very good. Yes, JJG is an incredibly accomplished singer/composer, but he is just not completely my style. If he were, I would probably add that extra star.

If your French isn't perfect,order a little French dictionary too--since the lyrics in French are included but untranslated. Then, like me, you will have the pleasure of uncovering the poetry of these lyrics line by line, while this gentle voice seduces you. Love sogs, Russian melodies, musings in a sidewalk cafe... The web bio (I NEVER looked one of these up before) says Goldman was once imitative of Aretha Franklin and Eddie Cochrane. HUH? Maybe as a callow boy but not any more. There has been a major evolution here, this is a sweet weary grownup singing. Like Eric Clapton in "Unplugged", in French. Buy this.

This, Goldman's latest album is one of the best overall albums I've heard yet. He crafts beautiful songs that are almost polished into a real pop type pieces, but they still have this raw edge of honesty. I discovered this album listening to it in France this past year, and it just blew me away. There are the three or four of the hits that are good, but I find the second cut to be one of my favorites, and the songs in which Goldman draws on his eastern european background are some of the most interesting instrumentally. Unfortunately, the language barrier is apt to put some people off, but If you like music and have an open mind, this CD would be a good one to try.

This is definitely the album for the 90's! In it, we can clearly hear the maturity that JJG has acquired after all of his hits from the 80's. En Passant is a great, romantic, relaxing, and poetic CD that will please all listeners. I became one of his biggest fans after this CD and then was tempted to trace back his music and was not disappointed in the least bit. I love his music and hope to hear much more from him.

若い頃のような、キンキン声の高音はなくなり、落ち着いた歌声、そして起伏に富んだメロディー、味わい深い歌詞が何とも素晴らしいゴールドマンの傑作アルバムの1つかと思います。 彼の出自であるユダヤ民族の音楽や哲学を感じさせる歌もありますが、むろん、重い歌ばかりではなく、軽いノリを楽しめる歌もあります。

A beautiful album from the most popular French singer of the past 40 years

This is a real good CD of Goldman, one of his best. All the songs are good, and you cannot go wrong by getting this Cd. I keep playing it over and over. I had great service, top quality and quick delivery. Thanks a lot. I strongly recommand.

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Bring back memories. Nice and easy listening music.