Accordionist +++ Jacques Pellarin +++

News

Reviews (critiques) :

15/04/11 - Office de tourisme Chautagne
Articles appeared in the local press here.

***

01/03/11 - Allaboutjazz.com
The second " Jazz review ", published in Jacques Pellarin Trio at All About Jazz , the " International Bible of Jazz's news " .
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=38484

***

06/01/11 - Jazzuality
"Front page of an important Webmagazine jazz of the South - East Asiatic where the album "Karenita " aroused a deep artistic interest ..."
http://jazzuality.com/album-reviews/jacques-pellarin-trio-karenita-2010/

***

24/11/10 - Michel Rebinguet - http://autrebistrotaccordion.blogspot.com
Dès que nous en avons eu le loisir, nous avons, toutes affaires cessantes, écouté cet album primeur. D'emblée, le plaisir est au rendez-vous. A la troisième écoute, la phase d'imprégnation étant déjà quelque peu avancée, j'ai pris quelques notes pour fixer mes impressions, à chaud et sans souci d'analyse ni de mise en forme impeccable. Encore moins d'objectivité.

J'ai noté...

Encore et toujours ces lignes mélodiques claires et lumineuses. Formidable continuité de l'inspiration des compositions : quelque chose d'un jazz classique par sa rigueur et de tonalités latines, plutôt sud-américaines, par la chaleur qui en émane. Un "vrai" trio : plus que des collègues, des complices de longue date.

Lisibilité du son : individualité de chaque instrument et accord des trois, qui se séparent, se retrouvent, se re-séparent et se re-retrouvent naturellement. Bien sûr le son du Bayan n'est pas étranger au grain du son. Mais le saxophone et les percussions ne sont pas en reste. Autre chose qui montre bien la qualité du trio : pas un seul effet facile, ce qui justement est facile avec les rythmes latins d'Amérique du sud. Le titre 1 définit bien l'inspiration qui sous-tend cet album : "Sambayana", rencontre de la samba et du Bayan.

Le titre 2 m'a rappelé un album de René Sopa, "Carinhos Tango", un album que j'aime beaucoup.
Le 3 m'évoque immédiatement une certaine Italie, celle de Nino Rota mais aussi de V. de Sica, et d'un certain cinéma italien à son zénith. Parfois quelques accents me font penser à l'univers du cinéma muet : tendresse, nostalgie, regard un peu ironique mais plein de sympathie sur le monde.
Le titre 4 est pour moi l'un de ceux qui s'inscrit le plus nettement dans la veine d'inspiration de Jacques Pellarin, celle qui est comme la matrice de la plupart de ses créations. Je note ici encore à quel point il nous donne à entendre une manière singulière de percevoir le monde et de le traduire.
Assurément, le titre 5 est le plus dansant. Difficile de l'écouter sans bouger.
Le 6 est délicat comme une aquarelle. Je pense à certaines images, photographies ou dessins, de Titouan Lamazou. Nul n'a su mieux que lui montrer les couleurs de certains paysages urbains et en traduire toute l'humanité. Sans esbroufe.
En 7, "Karenita". Il faudra un jour lever l'énigme de ce nom. On pense à carène, donc à bateau. Une rapide enquête sur internet confirme que ce nom a quelque chose à voir avec le monde des voiliers les plus prestigieux. "Karenita" : invitation au voyage ?
A propos d'invitation au voyage, le titre 8 m'a fait penser à quelque folklore nordique. Parfois même à Maria Kalaniemi.
A ce jour, le titre 9, "Song for Co" est le plus emblématique du son du trio et de ses mélodies. Quant au 10, "My Street Corner", je le qualifierais volontiers de morceau le plus classique. Je ne saurais expliciter précisément pourquoi : c'est une impression immédiate. J'aime ses tonalités en demi-teinte, c'est-à-dire tout en nuances, dégradés, imperceptibles glissements, qui finissent par imposer une atmosphère, presqu'un état d'âme.
Les titres 11 et 12 ont évoqué pour moi un certain forro : "Accordeao do Sul" et "Latin-Blues". Ce dernier morceau, comme le 9, pourrait être la signature du trio, tant du point de vue de la mélodie que de la facture.

Bon ! je crois que je vais écouter encore une fois "Karenita" avant d'aller me coucher. J'ai conscience en effet que tant de belles choses m'ont échappé...

***

22/06/2010 - News reviews and recommandations.

***

07/12/09 - Raul d'Gama Rose
A brand new Jazz international review for my last album " Sound of Philadelphia ".
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=34834
Sound of Philadelphia is not a novelty record—one that some critics might dismiss as world music. Jacques Pellarin's music is inflected with myriad cultural influences, so this rather empty epithet is likely to be used on the composer. This labeling is especially tough on an artist who is as seriously talented as the French/Savoie musician. Pellarin is a master of the bayan, a Russian, chromatic button accordion developed in the early 20th century that is deceptively easy to play, and while the instrument may conjure up the classic sound of South American tango, in this case, nothing could be further from the truth. Pellarin is a bold innovator and is blessed with a rare genius. His music is vivid, changing and surprising, awakening the once whispered suggestion that the French introduced jazz to America.
The accordion has a relatively shrill sound, but Pellarin also exhorts from his magically endowed bellows a gruff timbre, creating an inner duet between the low male and high female voices. They pirouette around the broad, rectangular reeds and the horns of Diego Fano, who taunts the accordion as a modern snake charmer would a pair of serpents. Percussionist Yann Pajean magically transports the singing and dancing conjunto across the Mediterranean, North Africa and, yes, to the streets of Philadelphia, where the music melds into the swinging idiom of urbane jazz.
Pellarin has listened to musicians from Astor Piazzolla and Dino Saluzzi to the tonal textures of Duke Ellington and the modal exploits of McCoy Tyner, but he has a gravitas all his own; his singular voice reflects a Basque sensibility with a rough, somewhat pastoral, gentility. To that extent, Pellarin's blues is as authentic as a Delta drawl. The musician has a modern approach that is eternally old but also elastic and new. His compositions are a tad noirish, and this often drives the timbral elegance of his music. It is splendid when pieces like "The Groove Maker" and "Accordeason" take on a cinematic sweep and appear to traverse across the vast canvas of an impressionist soundscape.
The Pellarin Trio's music also has a broad swing, which is gentle on "Junior Valse" and "Free Tango"—the latter giving notice that there is a new pretender to the tango throne. Fano and Pajean have learned these complex charts well and mastered their twists and turns, especially those compositions with exquisitely written melodic bass lines. In that vein, the masterfully written allegory, "Recuerdos de la Macha," recasts Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote (1847) with a harmonic chorus. Listening to this work, bassist Renaud Garcia-Fons comes to mind, for his and Pellarin's rare Herbie Nichols-like ability to write melodic bass lines. This is a stellar record filled with emotion that reaches parts of the soul where much music fails to go.

Raul d'Gama Rose - Editor Allaboutjazz.com

***

26/11/09 - Randy Kurniawan - Jazzuality.com
http://jazzuality.com/album-reviews/jacques-pellarin-trio-sound-of-philadelphia-2009/

***

29/06/09 - Nicole-Claude Meschin
"A l'occasion du festival EnGrangeons la musique, les mélomanes pourront apprécier le répertoire original de Jacques Pellarin Acoustic Trio dans un lieu tout aussi insolite, puisque son premier concert se déroulera sur le Rhône, à bord du bateau : le « Dauphin Bleu ».
Ce musicien atypique, virtuose d'un accordéon « hors normes » proche des pièces de Richard Galliano ou de Yann Thiersen , qui a effectué des tournées internationales " classiques " avec le Baîkal Duo, a récemment enregistré un CD world -Jazz à Philadelphie en nov 2008 " Sound of Philadelphia ".
Il sera accompagné de Diego Fano, au saxophone (alto et soprano) et de Yann Pajean, aux percussions.
Séduisant cocktail de mélodies envoûtantes qui alternent les accents orientaux mâtinés d'un tempo très « années 50 », pour finir en apothéose sur les rythmes Brésiliens où se côtoient ballade-jazz et milonga, le récital promet de grands moments d'émotion musicale à tous les amateurs de compositions raffinées.."

Nicole-Claude Meschin - Journaliste
Le progrès de Lyon (29/05/2009)

and more : click here (101marches.com)

***

03/26/09 - Ron Talton
"Jacques Pellarin graced the stage at Chris' Jazz Cafe with a gracious modesty, thankful to be able play and share his music. The Trio transported our Philadelphia Venue into the Streets and back Alleys of Paris where the Gypsy's and the Tourist were swinging and mingling to the magical tones of the legendary Squeezebox. Truly a wonderful contribution to my Sunset Sessions, greatly applauded by all who were in attendance."

Ron Talton - Manager and Promoter
Chris' Jazz Cafe, Philadelphia, PA, USA

***

05/13/08 - Mark Robinson
"The 12 compositions are a wonderful blend of different musical styles but always with a jazz under-current. Your music is smile inducing, it is happy music and makes one think of lazy days by the riverbank surrounded by great food, wine and friends. For me being a resident of New Zealand who is originally from the UK it reminds me of holidays spent in France sampling the wonderful culture. I especially like the track "Free Tango" which swings so effortlessly between accordion and saxophone solos again evoking scenes of Europe with smoky jazz night clubs – excellent music. And the track "JAMAIS DIRE JAMAIS" is truly exquisite.Once again merci beaucoup for making contact with me Jacques !"

Mark Robinson , program director of http://www.georgefm.co.nz and Jazz presenter.

***

09/20/07 - Van Williamson - Paul Borelli
"I liked your CD " Jazzitudes " and have used it several times. Nice accordion playing. I'm listening to the new one now. I'm sure I'll have a chance to occasionally use a few selections." Van Williamson - Director, Morning Edition NPR

"This disc is not an official release but a collection that French accordionist Jacques Pellarin compiled for me, with most tracks from his full-length CDs Sous d’autres Jazzitudes (2006) and Champlong (2007). A masterful musician and composer, Pellarin weaves tango, musette, jazz, gypsy, and European soundtrack elements into his creations, calling to mind other greats of his instrument such as Astor Piazzolla, Richard Galliano, and Art Van Damme. “Free Tango” (#1) begins as a tango with Pellarin accompanied on drums and bass, but becomes jazzy as soprano saxist Diego Fano enters for his solo, though Pellarin brings the tango back when he returns. “Champlong” (#2) sweeps along like a ride on a carousel, whereas “Menage a Trois” (#3) speeds by like a brisk walk down a busy street in a French film. Pellarin shows his flair for accordion jazz, a la Van Damme, on numbers like “Blush” (#4), “Sa Favorite” (#9), and “Latin Blues” (#14). “Valse Pour Francois” (#7) has a slower, more old-world European feel, but builds up speed toward its climax, then comes to a halting let-down, suggesting anticipation followed by disappointment. “Vagues a Lames” (#8), in which Pellarin is joined by violinist Pascale Seigle, also has a melancholy air. Pellarin goes for a more modern sound in tunes like “The Groove Maker” (#11), which calls to mind some of the fusion work of banjo player Béla Fleck. Regardless of your taste, Pellarin shows the diversity of an instrument usually relegated to folk music. In his hands, the accordion is capable of much, much more."

Paul Borelli 10/7/07 KOOP 31.7 FM (Community radio for Austin -TEXAS)

***

08/08/07 - Richard Freitas
Son catalogue de compositeur et arrangeur comporte plus de 1000 pièces et il est diffusé dans 60 pays . A son palmares ; 3 Emmy nominations, a Grammy nomination and 7 International Telly Awards. Il s'est produit sur scène et en studio avec de grands artistes comme Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Cab Calloway, Nell Carter, Little Anthony and the Imperials and The Drifters pour ne citer que les plus connus . http://www.tootsietunes.com http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/richardfreitas
Richard dit à propos de Sous d'autres Jazzitudes : "As I sit and listen to Jacques for the first time, I am overwhelmed by the beauty and sensitivity he brings the instrument. The writing is top shelf and the execution of the music is world class. A must have CD for jazz and world music lovers everywhere. This one stays in my CD player. Bravo!" A propos du nouveau cd Champlong :
"Bravo, Jacques! Your new CD is fantastic. The music is so sophisticated with captivating, sensuous melodies that excite the soul of the listener. Amazing stuff. The very best of luck to you with this new release. Your musical talents deserve worldwide attention. "

***

Others reviews