"…I Want You To Get It Together…"
French DJ, Mixer and Funky Pants writer Ludovic Navarre and his ST GERMAIN project of players took everyone in London by storm with "Tourist".
I can remember this being the play of summer 2000 – the 2LP vinyl original being a prize that collectors of Nu Jazz, Deep House, Piano Funk and Downtempo cherished. The Twelve-Inch singles too used to fly – cool Future Jazz with Talking Drums and Downtempo Piano plinking - swirling flutes, vibes, and irresistible rhythms (Latin included) – all of it wrapped up in sexy Funky keyboard grooves and choice samples from Marlena Shaw and John Lee Hooker.
"Tourist" even received a July 2021 reissue as a 20th Anniversary Tourist Travel Version where big names in mixes re-did key tracks. And it was on Blue Note too as if to steamroll home its effortless cool.
But I have always loved the (still) cheap-as-chips 2000 twofer version presented here for your hip-snaking Future Jazz delectation. To the land of flutes, moaning and groaning and sure things…
EUROPE and UK released May 2000 - "Tourist" by ST GERMAIN on Blue Note 7243 5 36671 0 7 (Barcode 724353367107) is a 2CD Limited Edition that plays out as follows:
CD1 (59:55 minutes)
1. Rose Rouge (7:02 minutes)
2. Montego Bay Spleen (5:41 minutes
3. So Flute (8:29 minutes)
4. Land Of… (7:50 minutes)
5. Latin Note (5:47 minutes)
6. Sure Thing (6:22 minutes)
7. Pont Des Arts (7:25 minutes)
8. Le Goutte D'Or (6:17 minutes)
9. What You Think About… (4:48 minutes)
1. Rose Rouge (7:02 minutes)
2. Montego Bay Spleen (5:41 minutes
3. So Flute (8:29 minutes)
4. Land Of… (7:50 minutes)
5. Latin Note (5:47 minutes)
6. Sure Thing (6:22 minutes)
7. Pont Des Arts (7:25 minutes)
8. Le Goutte D'Or (6:17 minutes)
9. What You Think About… (4:48 minutes)
CD2 (22:05 minutes):
1. Rose Rouge (Blaze Early Shelter Mix) – 6:21 minutes
2. Sure Thing (Todd Edwards Deepline Remix) – 7:18 minutes
3. Rose Rouge (Spiller Rouge Remix) – 8:29 minutes
LUDOVIC NAVARRE - Written, Produced, Conducted and Mixed
PASCHAL OSE – Trumpet
EDOUARD LABOR – Saxophone and Flute
ALEXANDRE DESTRES – Keyboards
IDRISSA DIOP – Talking Drum
CARNEIRO – Percussion
CLAUDIO (Cacao) De QEIROZ – Baritone Saxophone
Guests/Samples:
American Soul Diva Marlena Shaw is sampled on "Rose Rouge" which uses her vocals from the 1974 US Album "Live In Montreux" on Blue Note BN-LA 251-G
Ernest Ranglin – Guitar on "Montego Bay Spleen"
Jack Nitzsche wrote "Sure Thing" and the St Germain version includes a sampled vocal of John Lee Hooker singing "Harry's Philosophy" – a track on the 1990 Various Artists Soundtrack Album on Antilles Records
The gatefold slip of paper that laughably calls itself an insert barely manages a credit, but the Audio is fabulous – the swirling and thumping rhythms feeling like a cohesive whole. And back in the new millennium day - too many albums had a couple of good tracks – but it felt like "Tourist" was all good. The racing symbols and drums of "Rose Rouge" have bene used subsequently in movies to depict time travelling past rapidly – while the Blues moaning of John Lee Hooker from "The Hot Spot" soundtrack of 1990 that had sexy trumpet input from Miles Davis and guitar from Taj Mahal gets used to fabulous Bluesy effect on "Sure Thing" – a cover of a Jack Nitzsche song. "Sure Thing" feels like it was handmade for a Soundtrack like "Baby Driver" or the next Tarantino Movie Fest.
Frantic Flute breathing makes for a hectic and aptly titled "So Flute" and there is sexiness aplenty in the sensual grooves of "Pont Des Arts" and "Le Goutte D'Or" – tunes that feel like the backdrop to an exotic holiday dancefloor by the beach-huts where the DJ is clued in and taking chances on the crowd. The only cut that kind of leaves me cold is the last one "What You Think About" – but I know there are those who like its Blue Note Jazz for Real vibe as it plays out a very Dance orientated album.
CD2 offers three remixes (as Bonuses) of two hugely popular songs from the album – the Navarre-penned "Rose Rouge" and the Nitzsche cover version "Sure Thing". Producer and Remixer Blaze takes away the shuffling opening of "Rose Rouge" and replaces it with a more radical drum-whacking version that is backed up by funky Hammond-type organ. Smart enough not to remove the "…I want you to get together…" Marlena Shaw vocal sample – it suddenly becomes a more neck-jerking floor filler and is a brilliant re-working that compliments the original. And at 6:20 minutes it does not get terminal – just enough – does the business – then leaves.
Todd Edwards is the Remix Engineer for the more Dance-orientated re-working of "Sure Thing" – again another genuine shake-up of what went before that also uses the vocal sample and Hooker guitar that made the album cut so memorable. It is too Dance and House for my pleasures – but cleverly done, nonetheless. The second mix of "Rose Rouge" (done by Spiller) uses the Marlena Shaw sample sparingly, but also throws in a Rupert Holmes one. At just over eight-minutes it feels like one of those Acid House moments that needs drugs to get through. Still, so cool, though.
It's been 24-years and St Germain's "Tourist" stills Rocks in my books. In fact, I would argue Navarre's creation is actually the definition of too-cool-for-school.
And I always want to get together with it…
