Jazzman : Jazz in Chopin
**** stars
For those who still could think to hear, with the title of the cd, Chopin’s works with some brushes
and syncope from time to time will be disappointed...
Serge Forté will not be the one who plays reasonable “jazzyfication” of classical pieces... For those
who are familiarly Thanks for All, great tribute to his colleague Oscar Peterson, and La vie en Bleu
inspired by the French Songs, will not wonder. If it were necessary to find an approach (initiative)
which can evoke his, it would rather be the one adopted by Joachim Kühn towards Bach in
"The Diminished Augmented System" (with, of course, the reserves which imposes the simplification of such links). Both prefer
to question a work to answer his questions rather that to invest it. The treatment of the Ballad n°1 and of the Prelude n°4 - used by Gainsbourg for his song Jane B.-, the Part 1 of the Revolutionary Study are so many illustrations of this process. This recording crowns a work begun in 1999 on the occasion of the year Chopin. However big is the talent of the pianist, things would not be what they are here without his friends: Peter Herbert in the bass – Hear his solo on Andante Spianato - and Karl Jannuska, the new young Canadian drummer on the French jazz scene And there are some people who say that the jazz is dying...
Alain Tercinet – Jazz Magazine
***** stars
Serge Forté plays in a climate of inspiration and respiration. Chopin’s soul is not interpreted, revisited, or not copied - it is sublimated with the exact and relative definition of the dictionary: "to distil the volatile elements".
Franck Ténot - President of the publishing conglomerate Philippacci Jazz Concerts Producer , Founder of the radio Jazz: TSF(RADIO)
***** stars
Serge Forte ought to be famous. He possesses the keyboard artistry and musical touch of a Kenny Barron, a Keith Jarrett, even (dare I say) an Oscar Peterson. On this CD his interpretations of Chopin are masterful, AND jazzy, which should appeal to lovers of both musical forms. And, his Trio is tight! The Revolutionaries Suite ventures almost into Free Jazz, but one must admire the creative forces at work here. If you are a Jazz fan with any sense of musical adventure (and shouldn’t every Jazz fan be thus?) Jazz'in Chopin is a must for your collection.
Chuck Bolger
"Jazz Or Something Like It" on 91.7 FM, WMUH Allentown (PA)
About Jazz’in Chopin, Karkow Festival, Poland
To end the show, the marvelous Trio of the French pianist Serge Forté, played well known tunes from Brassens, Brel, Piaf, Gainsbourg and ... Chopin.
Calm, very spatial, with its own rhythm, this music was able, in a surprising way, to get the audience’s attention
Krakow Festival, 2000 Bogdan CHMURA
The French guys who played after the Big Band were not in an easy situation, since the intimate character of their music asks for a certain concentration and a particular climate. Serge Forté, Peter Herbert and Steve Shehan have revealed themselves as true magicians knowing how to control the sound and the audience. Their music, far ahead in the esthetic way of European style, moved in a space where sound and silence were equal with many very nuanced colors. This music was full off huge emotion, and a very Jazz feeling. The most emotional part of the concert was the Chopin interpretation in Jazz, and then we were allowed to certify that the Polish are not the only one able to succeed in that field !!!
Krakow Festival , May 17th 2000 Robert BUCZEK
Jazz in Chopin on World Radios
Francophonie Diffusion
Read below comments from radios who received the album
Europe :
CATALUNYA MÚSICA - BARCELONE (ESPAGNE) Experimento arriesgado. No es lo mismo tratar en lenguaje de jazz la música barroca de Bach que la obra para piano de Chopin. Hay momentos muy acertados como el "Prélude n°4".
CD RADIO CLUJ - CLUJ-NAPOCA (ROUMANIE) To transform classical music into jazz is challenging and risky. But Serge Forté Trio found the perfect mixture of Chopin’s well known passages and the modern sound of a trio.
KOSMOS - ATHÈNES (GRÈCE) Just about the best way to start, continue and finish a day in style ! Or not ?
LAHIRADIO - HELSINKI (FINLANDE) One of our presenters really took in hostage the cd and does not want to set it free it any more! The programming of these titles is a little bit difficult because they do not correspond to the layout of the broadcast (slightly too long titles).
SR2 / KULTUR RADIO - SARREBRUCK (ALLEMAGNE) Decisive experiment even if the jazzy-classic niche does not date of yesterday
Afrique :
ALLIANCE FM - ANTANANARIVO (MADAGASCAR) Unexpected meeting between Chopin and the jazz. Unexpected result and naturally: excellent.
RADIO DON BOSCO - IVATO (ANTANANARIVO) (MADAGASCAR) Amazing ! PULSAR FM - OUAGADOUGOU (BURKINA FASO) Throw a bridge between classic
and jazz and allow these kinds of music to continue to live and to grow rich; a challenge crowned by success in the same register as Grover Washington Jr's posthumous album.
RADIO TÉNÉRÉ - NIAMEY (NIGER) Real song which reminds us of a past when a heaven reigned on Earth. In any case, our country finds some benefit there. Old as young.
Amériques :
CBOF - OTTAWA (Canada) Beautiful musical construction.
CBSI - SEPT-ILES (CANADA) A big sensibility stands out(goes out again) from this music. Bravo.
CBV - QUÉBEC (CANADA) Very successful arrangements. Excellent quality of recording. This musical niche pleases as much in teams of daily production as those of the cultural channel.
RADIO CANADA - MONTRÉAL (CANADA) Very well. After jazzmen molded Bach and Mozart, now it is the turn of Chopin, and why not, because the harmonious sequences of movements and the original melodies are of such wealth as they cost although we are inspired by it. Yes sirs!
KALX - BERKELEY (ÉTATS UNIS) Interesting concept makes for a nice listening. RADIO FREQUENCE CARAÏBES - MARTINIQUE (FRANCE) Very good.
RADIO SUPERSTAR - PORT AU PRINCE (HAÏTI) This album contains excellent tunes, the some cooler than the others. It is great.
RFO GUADELOUPE - BAIE-MAHAULT (FRANCE) Perfect four our Sunday Jazz broadcast.
RADIO PARIS-LA PAZ - LA PAZ (BOLIVIE) Tremendous!! Really it is about a big creator.
FRECUENCIA JOVEN - BOGOTA (COLOMBIE) Jazz clásico de alta factura. Su gran valor está en la sencillez con que aborda la música. Sutil trabajo pianístico rayando en las fronteras de la música clásica.
Asie & Océanie :
RADIO LIBAN - BEYROUTH (LIBAN) After Jacques Loussier “Play Bach”, Chopin is a very good idea.
RADIO QATAR FM - DOHA (QATAR) A tripy classical mood... it works. RADIO CHENGDU - CHENGDU (CHINE) If you like romantic peaces, go for it
SBS RADIO MELBOURNE - MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIE) Chopin meets the jazz to be renewed. Very beautiful. Excellent musicians. Magnificent. Thank you for this magnificent album " Jazz in Chopin ". All the pieces are an adventure and a new breath on a basis which we know.
Citizen Jazz : La Boheme
june 4th 2007 Serge Forté Trio “La Bohème”
Serge Forté (p), Marc-Michel Le Bévillon (b) et Karl Jannuska (d), avec Alain Chamfort (voc) et Raphaële Atlan (voc).
Serge Forte likes French songs and lets us know it: after "La Vie en Bleu" in 2001, he gives us "La Boheme" ... The album is organized around eleven songs, separated by six short interludes of solo piano. Concerning the tunes, Forte attacks masterpieces of the French song repertoire. Eight are interpreted in trio, with Marc-Michel Le Bévillon on bass and, Karl Jannuska on drums.
The French star Alain Chamfort adds his voice for "Elisa", which begins the record, and Raphaèle Atlan sings two of Edith Piaf's hits: "La vie en rose" and "L’hymne à l’Amour". The arrangements of the pianist stick with the themes and the music swings or grooves without complex. Endowed with a strong and deep sound, Le Bévillon varies the accompaniments with flexible lines, some passages walking, some slapping ... Always attentive, Jannuska juggles, alternating light rotations and jubilant waterfalls, the whole punctuated with energetic "kicks" to maintain the tension. Particularly comfortable with this repertoire, Forte knows all the rules: a solid groove, subtile tempo changes, High dynamic flights, some montunos... The interludes belong to a quite different genre. The ostinatos, "mechanics", use of the lower/ medium register, and staccatos recall Lennie Tristano. It can be fun to rehear in a new way the songs that have often been played by jazzmen. And "La Boheme" is really pleasant to listen to, thanks to the performances of this trio full of happy swing and groove.
©Bob Hatteau
