Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 (Vinyl LP)

In choosing the Modern Jazz Quartet to play John Lewis’ music score for Sait-on jamais, Roger Vadim was among the first filmmakers to show (and prove) that on the screen, jazz was a musical language worthy of any other. So you might consider jazz as having a particular debt to Vadim for its future contributions to the 7th art, which from then on would be closer and less episodic.

Vadim’s film adaptation of the famous Laclos novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, where the actors and characters were transposed to a contemporary setting, would give Vadim another opportunity to turn to jazz. Associated with Marcel Romano, who took charge of producing the recordings of titles selected in the United States, Vadim again showed his taste for associating his work in films with some of the most creative icons in modern jazz.

Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers were among the latter of course, and this is the band we have chosen to present here, playing on the original recording from which the Liaisons... soundtrack was created. The participation of the Jazz Messengers and Art Blakey is especially noticeable in the two scenes where the screenplay requires a real-life musical presence. The first of these took place in the Megève night-club L’Esquinade during a New Year’s Eve dance; the second is the party scene at the end, where Valmont dies in a duel (Gérard Philippe played the role); here the musicians Kenny Dorham, Duke Jordan and Kenny Clarke are onscreen, and Barney Wilen separately, but none of the musicians can be heard: it is the Jazz Messengers who lend their voices you might say (via their instruments) to the famous part-time extras one sees in the film.

For the recording-sessions, Art Blakey summoned Barney Wilen (now back from the Newport Jazz Festival) to join the band. The results of their studio work were excellent beyond all expectations: the quality of the tapes, in fact, was so exceptional that Vadim was moved to use almost every take available to him. Mixing the music with the film was a quite difficult task, but he accomplished it with some very skilful music editing that allowed listeners to savour snatches of all the four main themes that served as a basis for the Messengers’ performances on the soundtrack.

'No Problem' (in both its versions) accompanies numerous sequences in the party scene. Vadim liked the Afro-Cuban version so much that he decided to pick it up again for the final scene, which takes place in the corridors of the Palace of Justice, where Juliette (Jeanne Moreau) appears with burns disfiguring her face. 'Valmontana' and 'Miguel's Party' were also used for the party at Miguel’s place, notably in the reconciliation scene (brought about by Valmont) between Cécile (Jeanne Valérie) and Danceney (Jean-Louis Trintignant). 'Prelude In Blue' (at the Esquinade) is the slow tempo number that Barney Wilen plays on soprano saxophone while Juliette and Valmont are dancing. This same theme is taken up at a fast clip during the party at Miguel’s.

After the statement of the theme, Lee Morgan plays a trumpet break to launch the party (with Kenny Dorham in close-up onscreen), and lead into the title 'Weehawken Mad Pad'. As for 'No Hay Problema', this is the South American version of 'No Problem', played solely on the piano with the rhythm section during the “Esquinade” scenes.

1. No Problem (1re Version)
   
2. No Hay Problema
   
3. Prelude In Blue (À "L' Esquinade")
   
4. Valmontana (1re Version)
   
5. Miguel's Party
   
6. Prelude In Blue (Chez Miguel)
   
7. No Problem (2e Version)
   
8. Weehawken Mad Pad
   
9. Valmontana (2e Version)