Expat

We are staying on the top floor of a 350-year old building, with the original wood beams exposed under a white plaster ceiling.  Who knows who hid in our apartment during the French Revolution.  That is what is so much fun about Paris--the entire city is a history preserve despite Georges-Eugène Haussmann's efforts to eliminate some of that history.  

All of this was evident on my first somewhat early morning walk through what was once Les Halles, the fresh food market that existed for nearly 900 years until 1971, when it was torn down because the large market was no longer economical.  There are still lovely storefront fresh food dealers in the area, including fish mongers, pork sellers, and fruit and vegetable merchants.  Of course, there is a boulangerie on every corner, because the French love their baguettes, and so do we.

With all of that in mind, it came as no surprise when I stumbled on an empty cafe displaying the album cover for Dexter Gordon's A Swinging' Affair.   The album was recorded in 1962 by the late Rudy Van Gelder, but it was released in 1964 when Gordon had taken up residence in Paris as an expat.  How could the French not forget that great tenor sound, particularly when it was accompanied by Sonny Clark on piano and Billy Higgins on drums, and Butch Warren on bass?