the essential
This Saturday, the Swing machine Big Band will celebrate its 55th anniversary on stage at Espace Valentré, in Cahors. Jean-Pierre Rodrigo, conductor, unveils the program.
With its “One more time” concert, the Swing Machine Big Band of Cahors will perform legendary titles to properly celebrate the 55th anniversary of the jazz ensemble. This evening will take place at Espace Valentré, on Saturday May 25, at 9 p.m.
On the program, 18 pieces will be performed. “At each concert, we always do something different; but here the idea was to cover the famous songs that we have played over the course of half a century. Nothing but great titles: Rhapsody in blue, My Way, La Fiesta, Summertime, Libertango…” announces Jean-Pierre Rodrigo, conductor of the Swing Machine Big Band, who presents his three favorites.
- The anecdote from “Porgy and Bess Suite”, the version recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
it is a famous piece from George Gershwin’s Black Opera. 10 years ago, with the pianist Alain Ohier, we took stock of the work which had not been published, in order to reorganize it for our jazz symphony orchestra, the horns, the percussions, the violins, the cellos. Eight months of work for everyone to create these scores, then months of rehearsal with the 36 musicians of the orchestra. Everyone keeps the memory of this beautiful musical challenge of the big bang which left its mark on us. - “Rhapsody in blue”, to celebrate 50 years already, with pianist Benjamin Barria. A jazz arrangement exists for this piece from one of the best big bands in the world, the “Big Phat Band”, with Gordon Goodwin’s completely original arrangement.
- The singers to take a new step
25 years ago I proposed to the orchestra to integrate singers, this obliged us to renew a good part of the pieces played, to create a new program each year, and to integrate one or two guests. We were able to play with Sara Lazarus, during the Souillac Jazz Festival, Teeny Tucker, the blues diva for the Cahors Blues Festival or even Marcel Azzola with a Big Band Accordion.
This time, we will welcome Claire Aberlenc, soal and rhythm’blues performer, on five tracks. As well as Pascal Walpen, Swiss conductor, for a trumpet solo; and singer Stéphane Cusin, crooner.
