HT: Cousin ES
Cyrille Aimée is a great and innovative modern jazz singer. This is from her website:
Winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival’s International Vocal Competition, the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and finalist in the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, French vocalist Cyrille Aimée is—in the words of Will Friedwald of The Wall Street Journal—”one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation.” In the same Wall Street Journal feature on Cyrille (and vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant), Friedwald declared “Both are astonishing creative singers, with a brilliant sound, fresh ideas, impeccable rhythm and an overall approach that honors tradition without being shackled to the past.”
Cyrille was born in Fontainebleau, France, to a French father and Dominican mother. Her introduction to jazz was the result of the fortuitous location of her upbringing, the village Samois-sur-Seine—the same place where the legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt once lived. For decades gypsies from throughout Europe have descended upon Samois every June, setting up caravans in nearby meadows for the annual Django Reinhardt Festival. Many years ago, a young, curious Cyrille wandered (unbeknownst to her parents) into the encampments and fell in love with the gypsies’ music and way of life. She would climb out her bedroom window at night and spend evenings in their quarters, learned their language and sang by the fire with Django’s descendants—before returning home prior to sunrise and school. “I was hypnotized by this music which made me want to tap my feet,” said Cyrille. “Swinging music makes me so happy.” (Continue Reading…)
If there was an award for the cover most different than the original, Aimée’s version of Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” would certainly be in the running. Not what John Fogerty had in mind, though I would guess he is/would be thrilled. Below is “I’m Through with Love.”
Here is more on Django Reinhardt.
[Homepage photo: PeterTea]
