Caravelli
Encyclopedia
Caravelli, real name Claude Vasori (12 September 1930, Paris, France) is a French
orchestra leader, composer
and arranger of orchestral music.
.
At twenty he was professionally touring, accompanying singers on piano, and at 26 years old he started as orchestra conductor.
Vasori took his stage name in 1956 from the newly introduced twin-jet Caravelle from Caravelle Aerospatiale. This plane was the first jet created for the short-haul market. The first Caravelle entered service for Air France on May 9, 1959. He made it more Italianate in honor of his father's origins, changing the last letter: “CARAVELLI et son Violons Magiques/& his Magnificent Strings”.
In 1959 with the help of the French jazz musician Ray Ventura
, he obtained a contract to form his own orchestra oriented to popular music. He signed a contract with the French record label Versailles. His first album Dance Party was recorded. Under licenses these early recordings were released internationally (20th Century Records in USA, Ariel in Argentina, Fermata in Brasil and Discophon in Spain).
In 1962 he composed Et Satan conduit le bal original soundtrack under his real name, French film starred by young Catherine Deneuve
. In 1963 he composed Accroche-toi Caroline! which was used by the BBC as the theme to the Vision On
television series.
The Versailles label was acquired by Columbia Records
in 1964. The wider distribution of their product led to gold records in France, Japan, Israel and South America. In Brazil his first released CBS album was titled Voyage Musical, in Argentina Merci Cherie. With his orchestra he also made recordings with Maurice Chevalier
and Charles Trenet
(La mer/Beyond the sea) among other singers. In 1970 he composed the music for the film L'Homme Qui Vient De La Nuit, starred by Ivan Rebroff
, and in the same period recorded an album in USA. His first Japan Live Concert is recorded in 1972 by CBS. In 1973 one of his own compositions was included in the Frank Sinatra
album Old Blue Eyes is back: “Laisse moi le temps” / “Let me try again”, original French lyrics by Michel Jourdan, English lyrics by Paul Anka
.
This song was previously presented in competition at the "Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar", Chile, representing France and obtaining a 2nd prize (a Chile song was the winner), although it was considered the best song by critics and people. Making a delayed justice, a few years ago, it was proclaimed the Best Song in the history of this Festival, in its 40th Anniversary, something unusual for a non 1st prize in any song contest. This song was also covered by Raymond Lefevre
. In 1978 he composed and recorded the title song of "Goldorak et les 2 Mazingers", for the Japan anime/cartoon.
In 1981 he toured with his orchestra in the ex-Soviet Union
in Riga
and Moscow
with great success (all concerts were sold out). The summer of following year, he returned to the country, this time to make a record for the Melodiya
label with Russians musicians and female singers (in his style without lyrics). This record Caravelli in Moscow includes 12 songs, the majority written by young pop Russian composers, with a couple of traditional tunes. Two of the pieces were recorded in Paris with his own orchestra. In 1983 Caravelli plays Seiko Matsuda
was recorded in Japan.
In the middle 1980s in order to update his sound he used rhythm arrangements by his son Patrick Vasori (born c.1950) using musicians like Gilles Gambus and Serge Planchon, who also played keyboards with the orchestra. In November and December 2002 he recorded an album titled A new day has come” with his Grand Orchestre in Brussels
, Belgium
, for Readers’s Digest
.
Japan being a country in which he has a following, Caravelli is one of the few Western artists who have been invited to conduct of the Japanese TV Network's NHK Orchestra, In November 2001 he was touring Japan with an orchestra composed of 32 musicians (tour N° 7 ), invited by the Sony Foundation (the previous tour was in 1996). At this time, Sony Music Japan assembled a 2CD set Caravelli plays Michel Polnareff
and BBA], being the first (Polnareff) a selection from '60 & '70 albums (including his cover of "Love me, please love me") and the second (ABBA) a selection from 70' recordings. In December 2003 he toured Japan again; the 6 concerts were sold out.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
orchestra leader, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and arranger of orchestral music.
Biography
The son of an Italian father and a French mother, Vasori was initially instructed in music by his mother in piano and voicing/harmony at seven years old, and later, when he was thirteen he began to attend the Paris ConservatoireConservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
.
At twenty he was professionally touring, accompanying singers on piano, and at 26 years old he started as orchestra conductor.
Vasori took his stage name in 1956 from the newly introduced twin-jet Caravelle from Caravelle Aerospatiale. This plane was the first jet created for the short-haul market. The first Caravelle entered service for Air France on May 9, 1959. He made it more Italianate in honor of his father's origins, changing the last letter: “CARAVELLI et son Violons Magiques/& his Magnificent Strings”.
In 1959 with the help of the French jazz musician Ray Ventura
Ray Ventura
Raymond Ventura was a French jazz bandleader. He played a significant role in popularizing jazz in France in the 1930s.-Career:...
, he obtained a contract to form his own orchestra oriented to popular music. He signed a contract with the French record label Versailles. His first album Dance Party was recorded. Under licenses these early recordings were released internationally (20th Century Records in USA, Ariel in Argentina, Fermata in Brasil and Discophon in Spain).
In 1962 he composed Et Satan conduit le bal original soundtrack under his real name, French film starred by young Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
. In 1963 he composed Accroche-toi Caroline! which was used by the BBC as the theme to the Vision On
Vision On
Vision On was a British children's television programme, shown on BBC1 from 1964 to 1976 and designed specifically for deaf children. It was conceived and developed by BBC producers Ursula Eason and Patrick Dowling to replace a monthly series For the Deaf, a programme paced slowly enough for...
television series.
The Versailles label was acquired by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1964. The wider distribution of their product led to gold records in France, Japan, Israel and South America. In Brazil his first released CBS album was titled Voyage Musical, in Argentina Merci Cherie. With his orchestra he also made recordings with Maurice Chevalier
Maurice Chevalier
Maurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, entertainer and a noted Sprechgesang performer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine, and Thank Heaven for Little Girls and for his films including The Love Parade and The Big Pond...
and Charles Trenet
Charles Trenet
Charles Trenet was a French singer and songwriter, most famous for his recordings from the late 1930s until the mid-1950s, though his career continued through the 1990s...
(La mer/Beyond the sea) among other singers. In 1970 he composed the music for the film L'Homme Qui Vient De La Nuit, starred by Ivan Rebroff
Ivan Rebroff
Ivan Rebroff was a German singer, allegedly of Russian ancestry, with an extraordinary vocal range of four and a half octaves, ranging from the soprano to impressive bass registers....
, and in the same period recorded an album in USA. His first Japan Live Concert is recorded in 1972 by CBS. In 1973 one of his own compositions was included in the Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
album Old Blue Eyes is back: “Laisse moi le temps” / “Let me try again”, original French lyrics by Michel Jourdan, English lyrics by Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
.
This song was previously presented in competition at the "Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar", Chile, representing France and obtaining a 2nd prize (a Chile song was the winner), although it was considered the best song by critics and people. Making a delayed justice, a few years ago, it was proclaimed the Best Song in the history of this Festival, in its 40th Anniversary, something unusual for a non 1st prize in any song contest. This song was also covered by Raymond Lefevre
Raymond Lefèvre
Raymond Lefèvre was a French easy listening orchestra leader, arranger and composer.Born in Calais, France, Lefèvre is best known for his 1968 theme "Soul Coaxing ", which became an international hit...
. In 1978 he composed and recorded the title song of "Goldorak et les 2 Mazingers", for the Japan anime/cartoon.
In 1981 he toured with his orchestra in the ex-Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
with great success (all concerts were sold out). The summer of following year, he returned to the country, this time to make a record for the Melodiya
Melodiya
Melodiya is a Russian record label. It was the state-owned major record company/label of the Soviet Union.-History:It was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya"...
label with Russians musicians and female singers (in his style without lyrics). This record Caravelli in Moscow includes 12 songs, the majority written by young pop Russian composers, with a couple of traditional tunes. Two of the pieces were recorded in Paris with his own orchestra. In 1983 Caravelli plays Seiko Matsuda
Seiko Matsuda
is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. Due to her popularity in the 1980s and her long career, she has been dubbed the "Eternal idol" by the Japanese media.- Biography :...
was recorded in Japan.
In the middle 1980s in order to update his sound he used rhythm arrangements by his son Patrick Vasori (born c.1950) using musicians like Gilles Gambus and Serge Planchon, who also played keyboards with the orchestra. In November and December 2002 he recorded an album titled A new day has come” with his Grand Orchestre in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, for Readers’s Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
.
Japan being a country in which he has a following, Caravelli is one of the few Western artists who have been invited to conduct of the Japanese TV Network's NHK Orchestra, In November 2001 he was touring Japan with an orchestra composed of 32 musicians (tour N° 7 ), invited by the Sony Foundation (the previous tour was in 1996). At this time, Sony Music Japan assembled a 2CD set Caravelli plays Michel Polnareff
Michel Polnareff
Michel Polnareff, born in Nérac on 3 July 1944, is a French singer-songwriter who was very popular from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s...
and BBA], being the first (Polnareff) a selection from '60 & '70 albums (including his cover of "Love me, please love me") and the second (ABBA) a selection from 70' recordings. In December 2003 he toured Japan again; the 6 concerts were sold out.