STARS AND LEGENDS: RAQUEL BITTON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raquel Bitton was born in Marrakech, Morocco. She arrives very young to the United States and made San Francisco, California her hometown. She brought with her a few souvenirs from the magical lands of Al Maghreb (Morocco in Arabic). But, her most precious possession was a collection of old French records of the golden era of “La Chanson Française”; records, her father collected and cherished dearly. They were the records of France’s great singers such as Charles Trenet, Edith Piaf, “La Gazelle Noire” Josephine Baker, Jean Sablon among others. Raquel became fond of Edith Piaf, for she found in her songs, the irony of destiny, the hardship of life, its deception, sorrow, betrayal and troubled human reality. Being romantic, thoughtful and artistic, Raquel understood and felt Piaf in the very depth of her soul. In addition, Raquel was fortunate enough, to meet and become friend with France’s most honored composers such as Francis Lai,  and particularly, those who wrote the music and lyrics of Piaf, to name a few, Charles Dumont who composed a considerable number of songs for Piaf as well as for France’s greatest singers such as Juliette Gréco (La Propriétaire), Jacques Brel (Je m'en remets à toi), Mireille Mathieu (Les Gens qui s'aiment, Mon Dieu), Barbra Streisand (Le Mur), Michel Legrand (Lorsque Sophie Dansait), Sidney Bechet (Pourtant), Willy De Ville (Les Amants), Dalida (Gitane), and Henri Contet who wrote Piaf’s famous hits: “Bravo pour le clown", "Pleure pas", "Le vieux piano”.

Bitton’s talent was immediately noticed by Dumont, Contet and the famous French singer Charles Aznavour. Meeting those composers, lyricists, orchestra conductors and singers who surrounded Edith Piaf and exploring the world of Piaf through interviews and lengthy dialogues with them enlarged and enriched Bitton’s knowledge of Piaf’s life and art.  She began to research and study every aspect and facet of the life, times and songs of Piaf. Today, Bitton is recognized worldwide as an international authority on Edith Piaf. Raquel spent years, studying and living the era and persona of the “French Sparow”. In a documentary about Piaf, PBS asked Raquel to tell the story of this legendary diva and to sing her international hit “La Vie en Rose”. Gladly and fortunately for her fans and international audiences, Raquel accepted the invitation and delivered one of those memorable moments in music history. She was accompanied by Jazz’s great Bob Holloway whose career has spanned 30 years on Broadway and created masterpieces such as “Sophisticated Ladies”, “On Your Toes”, “Tommy Tune”, etc.  (Bob Holloway arranged and orchestrated several songs and ballades for Raquel). But, as everybody in the business, Raquel had to work her way up from small jazz clubs to wherever and whatever luck brings to her. She made her debut in 1982, at the tiny "1177" club on Nob Hill in California, followed by a show at “The Venetian Room” of the Fairmont Hotel, where once upon a time, Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald performed. Raquel took the place and the audience by storm. It was at that very particular moment that the music lovers, critics and recording industry executives witnessed the birth of a great international Jewish star and a giant of the French music. Raquel sang the most beautiful and the most melodramatic songs of her idol Edith Piaf. And now, Raquel Bitton is the Grande Dame de La Chanson Française, the  Grande Jewish Diva of French Song, Ballade and Music.

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