Metropole Paris:- Monday, 17. February 1997:- After reading all the statistics last week; the ones that sort of indicated that not all that many go away for winter sports, Paris seemed somewhat deserted this week.

Or maybe it was my head. I spent a fair amount of time on the telephone, lining up the Zip Band's new CD, 'Getting X-perimental Over U,' to review ( in this issue). By chance I had asked for another music CD as well, which won a surprise - surprise to me that is - award at last Monday's French Music Awards, and I've lined up a reviewer to listen to it in the near future.

Although completely unqualified to do any music reviews, I do not have reviewers growing on bushes around here - nothing is, because it is still winter - so I went ahead and did it, and found that the CD is a good piece of work, laced with humor. In those 'old' days, jazz was always serious and the best you were allowed to do was say, 'That's cool.'

I don't know when it started, the applauding of guests on stages and TV variety shows - by other guests - and themselves as well as the host, but it seems common now. It is definitely 'uncool' to an old shoe like me, for performers to applaud themselves for merely walking on stage, or to applaud the audience after a performance.

On the other hand, with all of us applauding ourselves, one can get away with being a bit more enthusiastic about music - performances, movies, operas, you name it - and since nobody is 'cool' anymore, except Mike Zwerin when he is not being a hipster - seldom! - in the privacy of your own home, you may even applaud radio broadcasts for practice.

I hope that the review in this issue will be followed by others. I am not going to phone the French recording companies and tell them to send me over a ton of CDs to listen to for free - but I will do some 'scouting' by listening to radio FIP, and when I hear something good in French, I'll find out who the performer is and tell you about it.

The aim of the reviews will be to present French artists that you may not have heard of - but I am also thinking of French CD-ROM productions. Some of these may be translated and exported to a shop near you, but Metropole will only be reviewing the French versions. If there appears to be any demand for the original versions, we will figure out a way for you to acquire them.

Nobody sings in French on the Zip Band's jazz CD, but all the performers are firmly anchored in the Paris jazz world. A world that was often more hospitable to performers than their native countries. The record is on Polygram/Polydor's Verve jazz label, so it should be available near you. If not, drop me a line.

Actual Events

Walt Disney Chez Victor Hugo features a presentation of the artistic research on Paris done by Disney animators in order to make the film, 'Notre-Dame de Paris.' Paintings, designs, engravings, models, examples of the process of making the film, and the literary work by Victor Hugo.
Until Sunday, 16. March. Daily except Mondays, from 10:00 to 17:15. Maison de Victor Hugo, Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée, 6. Place des Vosges, Paris 4. For information, tel.: 01 42 72 10 16.

In an Extraordinary Garden...

The 1950's in Paris

Looking for Your Parisian Ancestors?

Some Coming Events

Salon International de l'Agriculture This is the big show that brings the countryside to Paris, not that it is all that far away. Regional specialties, many animals, some straw, and an awful lot to see - as well as eat and drink. Sunday, 23. February until Sunday, 2. March. Daily; 10:00 to 19:00. Extended hours Saturday, 1. March: 10:00 to 22:00. Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles.

Old and Not So Old Used Car Parts