La Boheme

 

La Terrasse June-July 2007

On the occasion of the release of his new album: " La bohème " the famous Serge Forté  delivers a rich exploration with a trio of the universe of French songs. This brilliant pianist and composer appeared on the French Jazz scene at the end of the 80s, distinguishing himself immediately with a duet, that has remained famous, with Michel Petrucciani. This was followed by his own first record "La vie en Bleu", and then by a precarious, and successful, experiment, with a jazz treatment of the music of Chopin (" Jazz in Chopin " in 2003) and collaborations with Mino Cinelu and the great Jazz singer Sheila Jordan. In this new start today: Serge Forte signs a new opus where the music of his amazing trio goes straight to the source of some songs from our national heritage.

 

Jean-Luc Caradec – La Terrasse -

 

Piano Bleu : La Boheme

Serge Forté Trio

Elisa ; C’est si bon ; Résonnance ; La vie en rose ; Eau calme ; Et maintenant ; L’envers du rag ; Hôtel des insomnies ; L’hymne à l’amour ; L’île de Ré ; Ligne A ; Nathalie ; Sur 1 accord ; La belle vie Ostinato ; La Marseillaise ; La Bohème.

 

Serge Forte, who is not giving us his first record combining Jazz and the French songs, see in particular his record "La Vie en Bleu" from 2001.

He tells us he has chosen this time the songs which rocked his youth, and which he knew very well. We find some big names here: Piaf, Gainsbourg, Nougaro, Aznavour, Bécaud, etc. and the national anthem, about which he explains: " "La Marseillaise" is part of an exercise in harmony which I assign to some of my pupils, and which consists in harmonizing, in jazz style, some very simple melodies, such as child’s songs..... One day I assigned the "Marseillaise" and, since I always propose my own version to my pupil, I put myself to work on it... At the time when I started to choose the songs for this album I thought again of this arrangement, which I liked, and I said to myself that after all it was also a French song, in fact the best known one of all! On the other hand, it’s funny to have someone listen to it without giving him the title, and hearing him say "oh! I know this one but I just can’t say what it is!!"

Here he is accompanied by the drummer Karl Jannuska, with whom he had already recorded, " Jazz in Chopin " and the bassist Marc-Michel Le Bevillon.

 

Serge: "La Boheme",was recorded in two days without rehearsal. What’s more, though it has nothing to do with me, I prefer to record the first contact of the other musicians with a piece because, if everything works well, then the take will be the best possible! This was the case, for exemple, with the tune "Nathalie": the version we hear on this CD is the "first reading"

 

While most of the pieces are played in trio, six short improvisations on solo piano punctuate this album of varied colors, and two guests join the trio, to add, as each of the singers does, a charmingly pleasant and affectionate voice. Romanticism and poetry certainly dominate in this recording, where we find along with the sung pieces, also very beautiful and romantic instrumental versions of these songs. But the trio of Serge Forte also shows a taste for very strong rhythms, shining   a new and invigorating light on these hits of yesteryear. For example "The good life" gives us a rhythm which has nothing to do with the original piece, but is very seductive in its dynamics. A great and pleasant musical journey, especially for those who are over twenty, and will enjoy recognizing these treasures warmly renovated with a jazz touch.

 

©Agnès Jourdain. www.pianobleu.com