Antoine Delaunay, Chartrain Pianist, Merges Jazz and French Song in the Style of Léo Ferré, Stromae, Julien Clerc

The quintet, reminiscent of modern jazz standards, presents a beautiful selection of songs from both yesterday and today. These songs, which have been refreshed and revisited, are part of their album titled “French Songbook”. The album is a deep plunge into an elegant universe that revolves around songs that are familiar to all and easy to hum. It features songs from various artists, ranging from Léo Ferré and Brigitte Fontaine to Michel Fugain, Julien Clerc, Camille, and Stromae. The unique blend of verse and prose in these songs result in a jazz set that is distinctly French in style. This set has been specially crafted to complement the vocal universe of Melanie Dahan. The pianist arranger from Chartres, Antoine Delaunay, who initiated this project, emphasized that emotion and pleasure were the main driving factors behind the creation of this album. He explained that they took their time, selected many songs, and tailored the selections to fit Mélanie’s vocal universe.

The quintet also includes Gilles Barikosky, who is known for playing saxophone for Thomas Dutronc, Marc-Michel Le Bévillon, who has accompanied Michel Legrand around the world playing double bass, and Luc Isenmann, who plays the drums. The album includes ten cover songs and two original compositions, creating a musical experience tinged with a certain sense of melancholy. The album begins with “Les Passantes”, a beautiful poem by Antoine Pol that was set to music and sung by Georges Brassens. The musician admitted that working on this piece was a source of inspiration.

Reinterpreting these songs allows listeners to experience them from a fresh perspective, seeing them in a new light through a combination of improvisation and textual interpretation. The pianist notes that while all the songs are well-known, listeners will be in for a surprise as they hear them performed by the quintet. The fresh sounds and colors, along with the interaction between the musicians, give the songs a new lease of life. To mark the release of the album, the quintet is set to perform in Paris on March 9 at the legendary Sunside venue, and on April 20 at the Espace Edmond Desouches in Lucé, Eure-et-Loir.