Scheduled at the Théâtre de Verdure du Casone, Jazz in Aiacciu stands out for its charm, its welcome, its attention to detail and the consistency of its programming. A model of diplomacy, parity and balance. Four evenings (from June 26 to 29) to go over the question: the new graduates we are talking about, tenor sax Léon Phal; London saxophonist Camilla George, dancing on a tightrope between afrobeat and hip-hop; the vibrant Cubans on tour (El Comité); the queen of the stages, Youn Sun Nah, in duet with the pianist and orchestrator, Bojan Z; final in style with Goran Bregovic, the best known of the Balkan genre, illustrated by the films of Emir Kusturica. First part, here is a tradition, the Chjami Aghjalesi, polyphony (Corsican).
Two half-evenings condense this quality programming: Astral by the composer Leïla Olivesi; then Madame Rhoda Scott and her Lady Quartet. Perfection of orchestrations, transgression of genres and ages, pleasure of rhythms and voices… And, casually, this reminder without fashionable effect: jazz has its history, and these two concerts showcase it.
Leïla Olivesi, born at Moulin d’Andé in Normandy, has played with the entire scene of her age (from the faithful Jean-Charles Richard to Jeanne Added, including Magic Malik and Leon Parker). From a Mauritanian father and a Corsican mother of Moroccan origin, she is the granddaughter of a grandmother who played first violin at the Paris Conservatory. At the head of her octet, she presents Astral, the live version of a much celebrated album (2022), carefully honed over two years on stage. Eight musicians who have personal careers, Baptiste Herbin (alto, flute), Adrien Sanchez (tenor), Jean-Charles Richard (baritone and soprano), Quentin Ghomari (trumpet and flugelhorn), Manu Codjia (guitar), Yoni Zelnik (double bass ), Donald Kontomanou (drums).
Refined elegance
Simply ask yourself: where does Leïla Olivesi’s consented authority come from? What do the sessions of fine-tuning and adjustment represent, which precede the album and the concert? The tributes to Wayne Shorter (Wayne Left Town), the inserted poems (of the dragon), everything requires writing of subtlety, refined elegance and also quite astonishing audacity.
Read the article (2023): Leïla Olivesi named best French musician of the year by the Jazz Academy
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We hear the love of the great arrangers (Billy Strayhorn, Gil Evans, etc.), yes, but it doesn’t matter: we hear the very rare mark of a young woman who devotes herself to the desire to write and renew her art… A young woman convincing enough to embark eight voices, eight timbres, eight ranges, eight personalities on her journey. Leïla Olivesi writes for each timbre, each voice, she has them in mind, and gives them back their freedom on stage. She holds her place in the lineage of the great conductors, Mary Lou Williams, Carla Bley, Maria Schneider…
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