Paris Combo - Motifs (2004)

It wouldn't be exactly accurate to call Paris Combo a throwback to the 1930s, despite singer Belle du Berry's jazzy, period-perfect crooning style and the fact that guitarist Potzi coifs himself in explicit homage to Django Reinhardt. But it wouldn't be exactly inaccurate, either, and there's nothing wrong with that. David Lews' trumpet snakes and sizzles, almost always with a mute, through the songs' decorously swinging melodies while du Berry drops her lyrics in an expressive but rather dry voice and drummer François Jeannin and bassist Mano Razanajato keep the grooves powerful but light. The irony is that, although Potzi is the one who most dresses the part of a retro jazz cat, he's actually the band's utility man, laying down Django-style chord solos one minute and swinging out in a more modern style the next, while pulling various tones and attacks out of his bag of tricks from time to time. But the band is smart enough to always keep the sonic focus on the sweet, dry voice of du Berry, whose clever lyrics and flawless accuracy make every song a low-key delight. Recommended.