A mindblowing collection of work from one of our favorite film composers ever – and a package that showcases as much jazz and vocal material as it does his work for cinema! The design is wonderful – a big-styled package with a huge volume of notes and photos – served up with 20 CDs that each focus on a different theme, many of which are presented in full album reissues of material from Michel Legrand's long and storied career – alongside other work that's always been hard to find on CD! CD1 features early jazz records Legrand Jazz and Plays Richard Rodgers. CD2 and CD3 feature vocal material – the albums Michel Legrand Chante, Serenades Du Xxeme Siecle, Les Moulins De Mon Coeur, and Michel Legrand (1981). CD 4 features nouvelle vague/new wave film work. CD5 features work with director Jacques Demy, including some unusual moments. CD6 is a tribute to Steve McQueen – soundtrack work from Thomas Crown Affair, Le Mans, and The Hunter. CD7 features albums with Stan Getz and Bud Shank. CD8 features 22 vocal songs by French performers. CD9 features 19 tracks by international performers. CD10 features rare work for stage musicals, including the long Monte Cristo soundtrack. CD11 features work for animated films – including Il Etait Une Fois L'Espace, Michel's Bird, and Oum Le Dauphin Blanc. CD12 features a tribute to Alain Delon – the soundtracks for Cercle Rouge and La Piscine, plus a vocal track sung by Delon. CD13 features work for director Jean Paul Rappenau – soundtracks for Le Sauvage, Les Maries De L'An II, and La Vie De Chateau. CD14 features full album collaborations with Phil Woods and Sarah Vaughan. CD15 features collaborations with Stephane Grappelli. CD16 features concert performances – the albums Legrand Cinema and Legrand Concert, plus bonus tracks. CD17 features orchestral works from recent years. CD18 and CD19 feature some material from rare or previously unreleased soundtracks. And CD20 features rare and unusual material – including work for Radio Luxembourg, some jazzy bits, and even a commercial for Heineken! (Soundtracks, French) CD

A great little look at Michel Legrand's years with RCA Records – a time when the famous French soundtrack composer was returning to some of his roots in jazz, and also providing backdrops for some singers as well! The scope of work here is really great – from hard-swinging big band material to smaller combo jazz, to vocal numbers that really show the warmth and feeling of Legrand's lyrics as well as his music. Most of the work here has been out of print for years, even on CD, and the package does a great job of mixing up the modes with a sense of fullness that goes even beyond the regular albums. Titles include "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" and "Sweet Gingerbread Man" with Jack Jones, "I Will Wait For You" and "One At A Time" with Lena Horne, and "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "Snowbird Serenade", "The Summer Knows", "Watch What Happens", "The Saddest Thing Of All", and "Splittons" as jazz numbers by Legrand. (Jazz, French) CD