Abyss

(Universal Music Jazz - 2008)

“Abyss is an album dedicated to the memory of my father, the late André Schwarz-Bart. I hope it lives up to the love and admiration I will have for him forever. I wanted to express something infinite: infinite love, infinite grief, infinite awe in front of the mysteries of life and death.

In strictly musical terms, i used mystical rhythms, -rhythms where the One could be anywhere- like Takuta, Lewoz, Kaladja and Padjanbel. A lot of the rhythms on the album are not the traditional versions, but extensions created to fit the emotional content of each composition.

I also wanted to go further into harmonic development, arranging and the use of the form in the writing of Abyss. The sharpening of all these compositional tools depicts a more detailed view of my emotional journey, and allows me to explore more contrasts and extremes.

Harmonicaly I tried to tell a story that expands on the melodies and create additional layers of meaning. Songs like Dlo Chaye, After She left or Nubian are in constant harmonic motion behind a central theme.

Also I used extended form to visit other aspects of a tune and not settle into a comfort zone. Long intros like in Abyss, unexpected outros like in dlo pann, extended sections to further develop the theme like in Nubian, are like a song within the song. While using all these tools, I was careful to keep a sense of balance and sobriety, not to dilute or digress.

Finally i think we played more as a band than previously. It sounds more heart felt and organic, despite being somewhat more complex… I see it as a step towards my quest for a total music: a music that speaks to the soul, the mind and the body all at once.”

Jacques

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