| Jazz |
As far as I can remember, I’ve never liked Michel Legrand’s compositions, which I’ve always found too simplistic and too close to industrial musical style, having been literally exhausted by the few national radio stations in France that played the songs from the film “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” to the point of disgust. Over the years, many people have taken up this composer’s repertoire without ever moving me. So when I received this album, I was initially reluctant to put it in the CD player, especially since it begins with a song I particularly dislike: “The Windmills of Your Mind”. You could say I approached this album with an extremely negative bias, but as soon as the first notes played, I was won over, thanks to the musicians’ perspective and the voice of Vivian Buczek, who almost made me like this song. But what really made me love this album was everything else, delving into Legrand’s repertoire, more or less known, but especially sublime due to the vision of these excellent musicians and the voice of this singer, who is an exceptional interpreter, able to convey real emotion with texts that are more interesting and poetic in English, whereas the same songs in French are rather low quality.
Raised in Sweden by jazz musician parents from Poland and France, the singer Vivian Buczek has built an international reputation as a captivating performer with a remarkable sense of jazz. After a series of well-received releases over the last two decades, international tours, and collaborations with some of the biggest figures in European jazz, her new album sees her reinterpret the works of one of her idols—the famous French composer Michel Legrand. I would therefore like to begin by praising these excellent artists: Vivian Buczek |Vocals, Mathias Heise |Harmonica, Peter Asplund |Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Martin Sjöstedt |Piano, Rhodes, Arrangement, Jesper Bodilsen |Bass, Zoltan Csörsz |Drums. In my opinion, these artists can make anything resonate with the masses; the instrumental ideas they bring to the tracks are pure genius. Perhaps it takes coming from a country far removed from France to adopt a perspective that elevates compositions, which are initially rather ordinary, into true works of art that fill our eyes with joy and make us breathe!
Jazz, whether in Europe, the USA, or even Canada, boasts thousands of talented musicians. It’s impossible to know everyone, and in this case, I sincerely regret that. To think we missed out on this: Following her 2022 album *ROOTS*, which featured American saxophonist Seamus Blake, Buczek’s music positions her as the heir to the great jazz singers of the 20th century. With an emphasis on rhythm, soul, and blues, along with a sincerity in storytelling, Buczek’s dynamic and moving style undoubtedly embodies the rich tradition of vocal jazz. If you ask Vivian about her new album, she’ll tell you the same. The album features special guests like Danish chromatic harmonica world champion (2013) Mathias Heise and the multi-award-winning Swedish trumpeter Peter Asplund. Their effortless melodic improvisations elevate the sound of the ensemble through a warm textural contrast and striking spontaneity. So, while I still don’t like the first track, I recognize the excellence of the work, and the rest of the album is a pure marvel that would make anyone who has tackled Legrand’s music over the years pale in comparison. Enough to proudly add this to our list of ‘Essential’ albums.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, September 27th 2024
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