Artist: Jacques FotiLP: I Wish You Love
Song: "If You Want This Love of Mine"
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This terrific 1965 LP by debonair European bon vivant Jacques Foti is one of the treasures I picked up while dashing in and out of record stores between films at the recent Seattle International Film Festival. Born in Hungary, Foti has evidently been called the male "answer" to Zza Zza Gabor (a question, if ever a woman was), but with this song in particular, it's Eartha Kitt who comes pleasantly to mind. You can read about Jacques Foti's interesting life here (where you can also hire him to speak at your upcoming function.... just don't expect him to look anything like that picture when he shows up), you can see a list of Jacques Foti's film credits—including this one—here, and you can buy an autographed copy of this very LP (with a note that looks like, "Kenny! You're a tiger! & a nice guy!") for twenty bucks on eBay here. Now living (and hopefully still performing) in the L.A. area, yesterday was this continental song-purrer's 85th birthday. Happy Birthday, Jacques Foti!
Intimate Love Songs by the International Favorite
JACQUES FOTI with the Joe Leahy Orchestra.
Jacques Foti, a debonair European bon vivant who wears
a silver ascot in place of a tie, has the continental charm
that has made women sigh for Frenchmen ever since
those attractive Gallic gentlemen invented romance.
An accomplished night club performer who made a name
for himself in Europe before coming to the United States
to capture American femmes, Jacques has been described
by a possibly jealous newsman as "Hungary's
serious male answer to Zza Zza Gabor."
The same critic, somewhat less cryptically, went on to
acclaim his performance as "strictly a heart-flutterer,"
and to Foti as "exactly what women expect
in a continental song-purrer."
A little more basically, another reviewer simply stated that
Jacques Foti "could make even 'Jingle Bells' sound sexy."
Call him sexy, call him romantic, call him charming—and
he is definitely the epitomy of all three—Jacques has an
intimate and unique styling that bids fair to make him a
welcome and appealing addition to the ranks
of singing heart-throbs.
For your listening enjoyment, Vee-Jay recommends
wine glasses for two, soft lights, a cozy sofa...and the
intimate, romantic phrasing of Jacques Foti.
Like Jacques, we wish you love.
JACQUES FOTI with the Joe Leahy Orchestra.
Jacques Foti, a debonair European bon vivant who wears
a silver ascot in place of a tie, has the continental charm
that has made women sigh for Frenchmen ever since
those attractive Gallic gentlemen invented romance.
An accomplished night club performer who made a name
for himself in Europe before coming to the United States
to capture American femmes, Jacques has been described
by a possibly jealous newsman as "Hungary's
serious male answer to Zza Zza Gabor."
The same critic, somewhat less cryptically, went on to
acclaim his performance as "strictly a heart-flutterer,"
and to Foti as "exactly what women expect
in a continental song-purrer."
A little more basically, another reviewer simply stated that
Jacques Foti "could make even 'Jingle Bells' sound sexy."
Call him sexy, call him romantic, call him charming—and
he is definitely the epitomy of all three—Jacques has an
intimate and unique styling that bids fair to make him a
welcome and appealing addition to the ranks
of singing heart-throbs.
For your listening enjoyment, Vee-Jay recommends
wine glasses for two, soft lights, a cozy sofa...and the
intimate, romantic phrasing of Jacques Foti.
Like Jacques, we wish you love.
Found his self pressed night club lp recently, Let Me Love You. Very rare. He put it out in 1961 or 1962. It is also a very romantic record. His voice is amazing! French and English songs with piano. The liner notes mention he played The Velvet Club in NY, what a show that would have been! Jacques Foti is now 86, living in Beverly Hills. He is credited with 4 acting roles in movies on the imbd.
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