Con su segundo disco, “Pas de Géant” (Sony Music), la joven francesa Camille Bertault se confirma como un gran talento del jazz.
Camille Bertault es una mujer joven con una maraña de raíces sólidas. Su padre es pianista de jazz aficionado. A la edad de ocho años, Camille se sentó al piano y vivió toda la experiencia del conservatorio (Ravel, Debussy, Chopin, Scriabin) mientras desarrollaba su pasión por los vocalistas brasileños (Elis Regina, Djavan, Cesar Camargo). Cuando tenía veinte años, se rebeló: guardó las partituras y se apuntó a clases de teatro. Terminó en el Conservatorio de París, que le dio una sólida formación en armonía, composición y canto de jazz. Descubrió la teoría detrás de sus creaciones espontáneas, de la improvisación combinada y del cabaret, regresando a Ravel a través del jazz: «el placer de combinar todas las etapas que he experimentado».
La prensa francesa ha sido unánime al calificar a Camille Bertault como una artista impresionante. Esta joven es una de las grandes revelaciones del año en una categoría inclasificable. Le debemos uno de los álbumes más deliciosos de este comienzo de año. «Pas de Géant» es su tarjeta de presentación, una presentación nada fácil porque consigue ser virtuosa, divertida y entrañable a un tiempo. «Quería hacer un disco que se parece a mí, sin estar apegada a un solo estilo»-dice Camille. Misión cumplida: la cantante pasa con pasmoso desparpajo de Brassens a Ravel, sin olvidar a Legrand o Coltrane y por supuesto el omnipresente Gainsbourg.
El título del álbum es un homenaje, un paso al frente y una declaración al mismo tiempo. Es la traducción francesa literal de “Giant Steps”, el legendario standard de John Coltrane de 1959, del que Camille se apropió en un video de YouTube que incluía cada nota del solo de saxo y que marcó el comienzo de su ascenso en la primavera de 2015.
En el álbum, Camille convierte este ejercicio de virtuosismo en una fenomenal exhibición vocal con la que declara su pasión a través del texto de la canción “Wherever you go” de Ravi Coltrane. Palabras, ritmos y notas se mezclan de forma asombrosa a toda velocidad en un juego dulce, libre y desenfrenado.
Sus “Giant Steps” (pasos gigantes) van en diez direcciones diferentes a la vez: canta el aria de las Variaciones Goldberg de Johann Sebastian Bach a toda velocidad, hace covers de Serge Gainsbourg, de Brigitte Fontaine, de Michel Legrand.
El próximo 28 de Julio, Camille Bertault Jazz Quartet presentarán las canciones de sus dos discos dentro del programa del Festival MUSEG de Segovia en un concierto gratuito en un marco incomparable, como es la Pradera de San Marcos a los pies del Alcázar de Segovia.
Nuestro compañero Josechu Egido ha hablado con Camille Bertault para saber más de la artista francesa, de su disco «Pas de Géant» y de sus planes de futuro.
THE INTERVIEW
We still love the sound of Camille Bertrault in this new album «Pas De Géant” (2018), which, although still in the same musical line achieved in your previous album «En vie» (2016), we noticed something different, perhaps a sound more personal, perhaps more vitalist, perhaps more authentic and more mature, … It true that something has changed What is it? What do you consider that has evolved in your music in these last two years?
Two years have passed between “En Vie “and “Pas de Géant” and, indeed, we can consider that I learnt a lot and feel more mature as a musician and as a human.
When I recorded “En vie” I had just finished the conservatory and was shy and worried about doing an album of jazz, as a jazz vocalist. For “Pas de géant, I was just worried about doing an album which seems like myself and shows all my musical and life path.
Your last album «Pas De Géant» contains fantastic songs, precious, intimate, enveloping nostalgic and very evocative air almost melancholic sometimes, pure energy in others. Songs, where not only music is given importance, but you have also worked on the lyrics in a special way. What can you tell us about it? What inspires you when it comes to making your songs?
I think being a singer is like being a story teller. And to tell a story in the best way, maybe it’s good if you write it. I love words, and we can say notes depends of the sound of them.
When I write a song, there are no rules except the truth: I have to feel deeply the emotion I am gonna put in the song.
Why have you titled «Pas De Géant « to this album? What expectations do you have with “Pas De Géant»?
I had to make a tribute to this song cause it’s because of it my musical life changed.
Three years ago, I recorded myself singing the all solo of Coltrane on this tune and posted it on internet, just to share it with my friends. Few days later, the video made several hundred thousand views, my first record label, Sunnyside, in New York discovered me, distributed my first CD, and everything crossed very fastly after that.
Is this your first time in Spain? What do you think about the Spanish crowd? What do expect from them?
No, it’s not my first time at all! I have been in Spain as a tourist many times and for my profession as well. I am always glad to do my job cause every stage, public are different and surprising! I prefer not to expect anything and being gladly surprised!
What are your plans for this 2018? We suppose that to turn around the world, but something that you can advance us? Important events?
Yes, I am gonna tour in many places. I just recorded and composed as well the music of “Transylvania 3” a movie for children of Sony Pictures which is gonna be released in July. I will make new collaborations and maybe thinking of my future album!
Do you think the digital world will end with music as we know it today? What do you think is the future of music?
I observe it’s very difficult for artist today to sell albums and it can be very scary. But, at the same time people can access to music very easily and discover more and more artists. Artists has to play more to earn their life and this is a good thing. I think, in every change, you lose and win something at the same time.
How is a normal day in the life of Camille Bertault?
If I am not touring, I need to sleep a lot, work my music, do some yoga, take care of my cat and see people I love!
What do you think about the current economic and social situation in Spain, France, Europe, and in the World in general?
I observed in my life, (not so long but enough) always the same things in this order: Hope-deception-frustration-Hope-deception-frustration etc… I don’t want to think things are going worst, cause I got always the same motto: when there is a change. You lose and you win things at the same time. Bad things can help to develop responsibilities, communities, revolt which is good. But travelling to discover other places destroys the sky. Positive is negative, negative is positive. The only importance for me is consciousness and seeing that politic is everywhere: food, clothes, relations, art…
MISCELLANY
Could you tell us about…
…a book?: «Belle du seigneur», Albert Cohen
…a movie?: “Phantom thread”, Paul Thomas Anderson
…a song?: “Fast as you can”, Fiona Apple
…an album?: “Voz e sour”, Nana Caymmi & Cesar Camargo
… a group or soloist ?: Charlie Mingus
…a hobby?: Meditating
Thank you very much for your time and congratulations for your music.
Thanks!