THE PELLETIER RHYTHM BOYS, Surf´Inn, 1964

Posted: January 21, 2013 | Author: mischalke04 | Filed under: 60s, Instrumental Records |Leave a comment »

One last 7″ from the Swedish Gala record club. This EP by 1964 by Jean-Claude Pelletier & les Fans was another takeover from the Gala de Variétés label, originally titled Beat Time!. The same eight songs were also released by the British Pop Parade/Concert Hall record club (as Dale Adams & the Pelletier Rhythm Boys) and the Dutch Populaire Platen Kring record club (as Pelletier Rhythm Boys). Compared to the British and Dutch issues this Swedish one, titled It´s Almost Tomorrow, has a rather plain and unimpressive sleeve. But I´m not complaining because I´m sure that the unassuming sleeve was the reason why I only paid 1 Euro for it in Stockholm last month. The seller must have considered it worthless. Never judge a record by its sleeve…

Jean-Claude Pelletier, born August 11, 1928 in Joinville le Pont, France is a French jazz pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. Along Claude Luter, Pelletier was one of the big names in French jazz in the post-war era. He made a ton of records in the 50s, 60s and 70s, strangely none of which have ever been reissued or are currently available. Solely one of his more outstanding funk/jazz works, the Streaking Lp from 1975 has been reissued last year on CD and LP by Vadim Music who call it: “A somewhat perfect hybrid of American soul’s energy and the science of French pop.”

Pelletier´s early works have not earned such praise. I´ve only got one of his first French jazz EPs from the 50s in my collection and it definitely deserves a future post. To prove that JC Pelletier delved heavily in pop/jazz fusion way before his “rare groove’s holy grail” LP in the mid-70s, here´s his swingin´ Beat Time! EP: