Interview | Four questions to David Bressat’s Quintet
Live Recording Sessions
On the occasion of his concert at the Périscope on February 9th, David Bressat, spoke to us about live recording and "Confrérie du Rêve", the title of his new "live" album which will be recorded on several regional stages including the Périscope. This project is the result of a collaboration between David Bressat, pianist and composer, Eric Prost, saxophonist, Florent Nisse, double bass player, Aurélien Joly, trumpet player and Charles Clayette, drummer.
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This tour is a little bit particular since it is a recording tour for your 3rd album. What motivated this choice ?
The choice to make a live album is not new since it is the 3rd live album of the quintet after “ALIVE” and “TRUE COLORS”. There are two reasons which motivate this choice : the first one is that “Live” restores something authentic, raw and magic… It is related to the fact that we record in the presence of the public and that the musicians do not play in the same way. Of course the sound is less clean than in the studio, there are potentially more errors and they are less correctable but the music breathes differently… This corresponds to the spirit of jazz which is, above all, a living music ! The second reason is that the record is an object less and less coveted. People hardly buy CDs anymore or listen to them distractedly on the platforms. Shouldn’t we make the public benefit from (and participate in) these recordings rather than hoping in vain for sales and quality listening.
I try with this approach to multiply the opportunities to make the music live with the public.
“Live Recordings” is an album that will be recorded in the clubs of the region, what is your relationship with these places ?
The clubs of the region that participate in this adventure are ardent defenders of jazz and independent music, indispensable militants in the cultural landscape. But they are also for the most part friends whose paths I have crossed and whose career and commitment I admire. I was myself founder and I took part in the organization and the life of several places and collectives (Périscope, Hot Club; Polycarpe) and I measure the importance of these structures and all the actors of the music which gravitate around these places: impassioned, journalists, graphic designers, volunteers, musicians… All together, they constitute a “circle of solidarity” indissociable of the course of the artist.
I like to talk about “Confrérie du Rêve”.
Why did you choose the clubs in your area ? Can you tell us more about your relationship with this kind of places as a musician ?
The 6 places that participate in this adventure are geographically close and are structures with which I have privileged links. Most of them have been faithful to me for many years! Moreover, the association Obstinato which carries the project made sure that the concerts are not very expensive for the places. It was thus necessary to choose places in a certain network of friendship and confidence.
This tour includes a mediation component (school concerts, Epadh, etc.): Is this a new particularity in your way of imagining tours? Does live music have to rethink the way it is presented to people ?
Yes, it’s new and it’s exciting! We wanted to offer as many things as possible to the public and to allow a better influence of the places. Several cultural actions (master class, first part, school & young public concerts, Ehpad) will be offered and planned in margin of the tour. They allow a public – which does not necessarily have the opportunity to hang out in jazz clubs – to discover our music. Playing jazz for everyone, we can’t dream of anything better !