Fred Hersch @ sunset

While classical may be my life partener, my love, my everything; jazz has always been my mistress. Paris is a very jazz-influential/influenced city, but the prices to hear the great artists coming through town can be prohibitive. This unfortunately means that I don't get out to discover new musicians that often, but I do save my centimes for old favorites.

I remember in great detail the first time I heard Fred Hersch. My mother had bought a compilation album at Border's with a particularly beautiful album cover. The proceeds of the album were to benefit Classical Action, and all of the composers featured were HIV positive. If this weren't touching enough, the music was enrapturing. But the most memorable composition was Hersch's Tango Bittersweet for piano and cello. This is a piece of music that has stayed with me for years, one that I find myself humming every once and a while in the metro, one that I loved so much, I became simply obsessed with playing it. At the time it was not yet published, but I simply had to play it so I contacted the cellist on the album. He replied within a couple hours explaining that he no longer had the music, but he would forward my email to "Fred". No word for several days, then one day in the mail I received an envelope. Inside was a photocopy of the original, handwritten score with a note wishing me good luck. How do you not love a musician like that ?

So it was my delight when I got an email announcing Hersch's concert in Paris a couple of weeks ago, and within three minutes, I had two tickets in hand. The concert was truly beautiful. Hersch's stage presence is calming, humble, and yet entrancing. He played a couple of standards with a special guest on the clarinet, and several recent compositions. The compositions were mostly dedicated to jazz greats, and while he announced the inspiration for each, the musical style was so precisely indicative of their muse, the announcements quickly became superfluous. His other compositions, as well as the manner in which he interpreted standards, were exciting, and charming, and made for an evening terribly well spent.

Testing out the video-function on my new camera, I caught all of the encore. A little Hersch original:

la rentrée

I've had a hard time starting this post, as it will mean that la rentrée has truly arrived. It's alway difficult, coming back, the feeling of beginning again each september. Wondering what the year has in store, wondering what you will accomplish, if this will be the year. One would think this feeling would end with school, perhaps begin again with having children. But in France, the great return is every year, for everyone. August in Paris is dead, so even if you must stay, the atmosphere, the energy will have changed greatly by the beginning of September.

I have started, more or less, observing this ritual in the last few years. Though as the ticket prices in August have become predictably exhorbitant, I usually leave just as most people are preparing to come back. While I was gone, I received news that Mr. le President had a particularly, uhm, interesting way of celebrating this great return. He had publicly, and forcefully deported hundreds of Roma people in the early hours of the morning. Since this announcement, many members of foreign governments, as well as some within his own administration have denounced the action for understandable reasons. While I am certainly interested in the political ramifications (I am, afterall, also an immigrant in this country), my mond instantly jumps to the music.

Roma music is not known as such--but more likely, as gypsy music. It means many things, in many cultures--the typical sounds of soulful singers, accordeons, and fast-fingered guitarists ringing in our ears. Gypsy music is free and joyful and fantastic. So in honor of those who were deported (and I'm sure will find their way back in a couple of months), some of my favorite Romani musicians:

Probably the most well known translation of Roma music is that of Jazz Manouche. The culture is strong here in Paris, and great jazz manouche musicians always sought-after.

Django Reinhardt is more than often credited with the development of this style. Here he is playing my nana's favorite song:



and one of the more modern manouche stars, Bireli Lagrene, playing an Elvis classic in an unmistakeably manouche style:



An awesome example of the genuine sound, complete with violin and aforementioned soulful singing is Taraf de Haidouks:



And a less known Romani influence, is that in Spain. The style has been popularized as Flamenco, but it's origins are, indeed, in Eastern Europe. While the Gypsy Kings are probably the most popular example of this influence, I've been enjoying Diego 'El Cigala' these days:



That's all for now ! And yes, I'm officially back, so look out for more regular posting ! Happy autumn, friends !

Remembering Abbey Lincoln

Terribly sad news this week in the (jazz) world. Abbey Lincoln had an unforgettable voice, both in her music and her convictions. I first learned about her when putting together a jazz combo in high school, through some of her interpretations of the standards. But I fell in love when I learned that she also wrote and performed her own compositions, and completely lost it when I learned of her collaborations on albums composed to speak out against racism. There was a clear depth to her enchanting voice. Lincoln's eternal presence will certainly be missed in the music community, where she remained active until her death. What I would have given to happen upon her at her usual table at the Blue Note.

I heard this song for the first time at a concert sung by an old jazz teacher, Christine Correa. I loved the song so much, I went straight home to find a recording, and thus discovered Lincoln's singing for the first time:



The first of Lincoln's own compositions I heard, and my favorite to this day:



And finally, Lincoln's lengendary collaboration with Max Roach in support of the civil rights movement:



Rest in peace, Abbey.