Comme à la Radio: Deluxe Edition Double Vinyl LP

Pre-Order Item. Release Date Subject to Change.
Label: WeWantSounds
Release Date: 23rd October

The definitive edition of a French jazz masterclass that in this shopkeeper's opinion, everyone should own. Recorded Areski Belkacem, Wadada Leo Smith, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Brigitte is the kind of presence and artist that delivers a performance with a subtle confidence, that kind of cool and leftfield artistry that only the French can get away with. The music mixes African rhythms, with avant garde jazz, spiritual and jazz fusion but with a European art-house aura. 

Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Brigitte Fontaine’s landmark 1970 Saravah album Comme à la Radio, recorded with Areski Belkacem (who sadly died last June), Wadada Leo Smith and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. This deluxe 2-LP edition pairs the original album with a second LP of rare bonus material. The release is accompanied by a lavish 24-page bilingual booklet featuring an introduction by journalist Andy Beta, essays by Wadada Leo Smith, Brigitte Fontaine biographer Benoît Mouchart and Benjamin Barouh, plus a recent interview with Brigitte Fontaine and the late Areski Belkacem. The booklet also includes complete lyrics and a selection of rare archival photographs by Jean-Pierre Leloir and Philippe Gras. The reissue is announced alongside its companion, the deluxe 2-LP set Comme à la Radio "On Air", featuring previously unreleased ORTF live recordings and additional studio rarities.

Wewantsounds pursues its Brigitte Fontaine reissue program with Comme à la Radio, originally released in 1970 on Pierre Barouh’s cult Saravah label, fusing Fontaine’s radical lyricism with Areski Belkacem’s minimalist compositions and the fearless improvisations of the Art Ensemble of Chicago + Wadada Leo Smith. Its title track has since become a cult classic in jazz and groove circles.
The album has been newly remastered from the original tapes and is reissued in a deluxe 2-LP edition featuring 11 bonus tracks. The first LP presents the original album in restored clarity, while the second gathers rare non-album singles, English-language takes, alternate versions and previously unreleased instrumental recordings showcasing the Art Ensemble's artistry, including the elusive English version of Comme à la Radio, and a striking early version of L’été L’été.
Also included is a 24-page bilingual booklet featuring rare archival photographs by cult photographers Jean-Pierre Leloir and Philippe Gras, complete lyrics, and contributions by Andy Beta, Wadada Leo Smith, Benoît Mouchart and Benjamin Barouh, plus a recent interview with Brigitte Fontaine and the late Areski Belkacem. The reissue is announced alongside its companion Comme à la Radio "On Air", a deluxe 2-LP set presenting previously unreleased ORTF live recordings and additional studio rarities.
Comme à la Radio stands as a visionary landmark of French music and a defining statement in Brigitte Fontaine’s career. This expanded edition confirms its enduring influence more than fifty years after its original release.

Tracklisting:
LP1 Original 1970 Album
Side A:
1. Comme À La Radio [8.03]
2. Tanka II [2.04]
3. Le Brouillard [3.24]
4. J'ai 26 Ans [3.04]
Side B:
1. L'été L'été [3.56]
2. Encore [1.34]
3. Léo [3.50]
4. Les Petits Chevaux [0.43]
5. Tanka I [1.45]
6. Lettre À Monsieur Le Chef De Gare De La Tour De Carol [6.04]
LP2: Non LP singles, Alt. and Inst. Versions
Side C:
1. Comme À La Radio – English Version [8.08]
2. J’ai 26 Ans – English Version [3.56]
3. Le Goudron – 7’’ Single [4.12]
4. Le Noir C'est Mieux Choisi – 7" Single [5.03]
Side D:
1. Les Beaux Animaux – 7’’ Single [3.16]
2. L'été L'été – Early version [4.38]
3. L'été L'eté – Instrumental Version [4.23]
4. Tanka I – Instrumental Version [1.47]
5. Tanka II – Instrumental Version with Flute [1.40]
6. Le Brouillard – Instrumental Version [3.57]
7. Lettre À Monsieur Le Chef De Gare – A Cappella English Version [2.46]