Music of a wonderful world

Also great as café music! Introducing famous tunes to savor the charm of musette

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

Musette, the popular music born in France.

Played in cafés and dance halls since the late 19th century, this music has soothed the hearts of Parisians and, with the graceful timbre of the accordion, is loved around the world.

Though it began as the music of the working class, it evolved while incorporating elements of waltz and jazz.

We invite you into the world of musette masterpieces, where melodies full of nostalgia and warmth interweave with a nostalgic rhythm, carrying you along with the elegant air of Paris.

Also great as café music! A selection of classic pieces to savor the charm of musette (1–10)

Flambée Montalbanaise / Fire of MontaubanGus Viseur

Flambée montalbanaise (Valse)

Flambée Montalbanaise / Fire of MontaubanGus Viseur

Gus Viseur, who brought the elegant strains of the Parisian café accordion to the world.

Born in Belgium, he combined the traditional bal-musette with the improvisational spirit of gypsy jazz, opening new possibilities for the accordion.

This work is an instrumental released in 1940 on a 78 rpm record, beautifully fusing the grace of a waltz with the vitality of swing.

Created in collaboration with guitarist Baro Ferret and others, the performance blends the heat of the dance hall with compelling artistry.

Celebrated as a hallmark of innovation in musette music, it remains beloved today—perfect for leisurely moments in a café or for relaxing while imagining the street corners of Paris.

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Swing ValseGus Viseur

Gus Viseur – Swing Valse

Swing ValseGus Viseur

An innovative track by Gus Viseur that fuses the musette waltz—beloved in Parisian cafés and dance halls—with the improvisational spirit of swing jazz.

A Belgian-born accordionist, Viseur began performing in the late 1930s with Gypsy guitarist Baro Ferret and others, breathing new life into traditional musette.

Recorded in 1940, this piece shines with its pioneering style that layers swing rhythms over a 3/4 waltz.

Viseur is also known for modifying his accordion’s reeds to reduce vibrato, pursuing a clear, refined tone that lends the music a light and sophisticated feel.

A classic recommended for anyone wishing to unwind in a café atmosphere or catch a breeze of Paris.

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La Foule / The CrowdÁngel Cabral

La foule d’Edith Piaf a l’accordéon – CASSANDRA BOISSERIE

La Foule / The CrowdÁngel Cabral

Amid the bustle of a Parisian festival, this song portrays a fateful meeting and parting.

Originally composed in 1936 by Argentine guitarist-composer Ángel Cabral as a Peruvian-style waltz, it was heard by Édith Piaf in Buenos Aires in 1953 and reborn with French lyrics upon her return to France.

It tells of two people drawn together as if pushed by the crowd, only to be pulled apart by that same force—its poignancy carried on a lively three-beat waltz.

It’s fascinating in that it was reshaped into a completely new story, with a different perspective and theme from the original.

Often performed in the musette style, this classic gem blends Latin passion with Parisian melancholy—a perfect piece to hear in a café.

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Musette Waltz of TruthÉmile Vacher

LA VRAIE VALSE MUSETTE (The True Musette Waltz)

Musette Waltz of TruthÉmile Vacher

Émile Vacher, who laid the foundations of bal musette—dance music centered on the accordion—in 1920s Paris.

Born in Tours, he taught himself the accordion from the age of just ten and began performing in workers’ dance halls in Montreuil.

This piece, recorded as a 78 rpm disc in the mid-1920s, features a lively ensemble of accordion, piano, and banjo over a triple-time waltz rhythm.

As the epithet “authentic” suggests, it is highly regarded as a work that embodies the true musette style within Parisian dance culture.

Counted among Vacher’s signature works—he left behind hundreds of recordings—it is included on the compilation album “50 TITRES 1927–1952.” It also makes ideal background music for cafés, recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy an elegant atmosphere reminiscent of the streets of Paris.

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Under the bridges of Paris / Under the bridges of ParisVincent Scotto

Mototaka Kaneko Under the Bridges of Paris

Under the bridges of Paris / Under the bridges of ParisVincent Scotto

Known as a classic that paints a scene of Paris, this piece is a chanson composed by Vincent Scotto in 1913, and it is also famous in musette performance.

Set beneath the bridges of the Seine, it contrasts the glamorous daytime Paris, where sightseeing boats glide by gracefully, with the nighttime scenes of lovers whispering under the bridges and people finding shelter there.

Carried by the sound of the accordion, its wistful melody captures both the light and shadow of Paris, giving the work a profound depth.

Since its debut in 1913, it has been covered by many artists, and an English version was released in 1954.

It’s a perfect tune for relaxing in a café or savoring the lingering mood after watching a French film.

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