Presse Inde 2008

MUSIC IS A WAY OF LIFE: JAZZ ARTISTE

French trio present concert

Vanita Srivastava Bhopal. November 29

Laurent Zeller, Laurent Bajata and Gilles Parodi have been ensconced in the world of music for last thirty years. Together they have been synthesising swing music for last four years under the banner "The little swing orchestra of France".The trio from France is on their maiden performance trip to India. They were in Bhopal on Saturday to present a jazz concert, From Bhopal, they were to head to Mumbai bat are now going to Pure since the programme in Mumbai has been cancelled in the woke of the terrorists attack on Wednesday night.How did they meet and why did they narrow down to swing music only? "The musical domain is small, in which each gets a chance to play with the other. Swing music is a jazz music based on special rhythmic affects. It is a music which came from the Big Band, is peppy, festive in character, helps to remove stress and adds a smile on the face. This music is extremely popular in France. We simply wanted to carry forth this tradition of swing music", says Laurent Zeller in broken English. The other two can converse only in French.And how popular was Indian music in France? "Not very popular. Bollywood music is coming up, But the jazz musicians in France have been influenced by Indian music, which is elaborative and definitely very interesting", adds Laurent even as Gilles takes out his mobile to play the resonating beats of Tabla. "It is really soothing".How do they churn out a musical recipe for a presentation?" We start with the bases of jazz, take a tune. a melody and then improvise. We listen to each other, play with the feeling of music and keep flowing musical ideas. But for preparation it is our experience of the last 30 years that counts."Lastly what was music for them? " Music is a way of life," says Laurent. " For me music is something with which I can connect internally" adds Bajata. While for the third jazz partner Gilles, music is something magical.

Audience enthralled

HI Correspondent Bhopal, November29

The Jazz concert by Laurent Zeller, Gilles Parodi and Laurent Bajata took the audience back to the memories of French Strings Jazz through its instrumental interpretation of the popular French songs blended together with the rhythms and colours of American and Gypsy swing. Security was positioned at the main gate of Bharat Bhavan on Saturday and some other places inside, while the listeners were subjected to a metallic check before entering the auditorium. The security arrangement, a rare sight in Bharat Bhavan, was made as a precautionary measure in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.The hallmark of the cultural evening was the beautiful consonance and prolific musical dialogue between the percussionists. The entire programme was interspersed with sonorous and peppy vibrations plus a strong communication between the three kinds of musical churnings. Laurent Zeller, the violinist interacted with the audience, because the other two could not speak English. In between he even thanked by saying 'shukriya and dhanyavad' amid an applause from the packed crowd. The different compositions were of different melodies but most were soft and romantic. In the end the audience requested for one more number.The event was organised in collaboration with the French Embassy in India and the Jazz Club in India.

INDIAN EXPRESS

Three to Tango 4, December 2008

Occasionally there comes somebody who believes that Malayalam resembles a Zakkir Hussain solo in full swing. Laurent ZeIler is one of them , "When we arrived here, I heard it all around me. It's a very percussive language, lite a Zakkir Hussain performance. I enjoyed it very much", he says. The heartbeat thrum-thrumming of the tabla might thrill Zeller, but on Thursday he and his two companions have a quite different menu on offer for music lovers in the city French Jazz with a Gypsy Swing Manouche lilt to it. The swing music concert is being organised by Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum

Laurent Zeller (violin), with Gilles Parodi (rythm guitar) and Laurent ajata (solo guitar), make up the troupe 'Le Petit Orchestre Swing de France'. All three are noted musiclans in their own right and presently on a country-wide tour, they will perform at the Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan at 6:30 pm. on Thursday. "We play a special French Jazz, It's a cross between Jazz and Manouche Gypsy music, and when they meet, it makes a special sound, a festive, happy sound," Zeller said. The pieces they play are mostly post-world War Il French, and inspired by the highly influential guitarist Django Reinhardt, who, with violinist Stephane Grappelli, formed the Quintette du Hot Club de France in the 1930s.We perform his type of music, but what we change is the repertoire Zeller says. In this genre of music, the guitar and violin are the main instruments, though the clarinet is used sometimes. Some of the pieces the trio will play on Thursday are more than haiI+century old like 'C'est Ilagnifique' (It's Wonderful) which goes back to the 1950s and nuages (Clouds) a Reinhardt piece which is from the '40s. Zeller, Parodi and Bajata -who all hail from around Paris- got together as a band four years ago. "We wanted to popularise Manouche music, But they knew each other much before that. This is the trios first trip to India, and they have staged perforances at Pune, Bhopal, New Delhi, Kolkota, Ohennai and Pondicherry. Mumbai too was on the itinerary, Zeller said, had it not been for the terror attacks there last week. Indian music has a very special place in the hearts of musicians in Europe, but ordinary people are not very much into it, says Zeller who loves LSubramaniam, Pandit Ravishankar, Zakkir Hussain, Hariprasad Chaurasia and the Qawwali shahenshah Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. After Thursday's performance in Thiruvananthapuram, the trio will love on to Bangalore.