On Sunday 9 October 2022, the Vandoeuvre Big Band will form with its counterpart Saint-Dié the Big Fat Band, an ephemeral orchestra of 38 musicians that will open the evening of Nancy Jazz Pulsations under the marquee. Among them, a sixteen-year-old trumpet player, Walid Oumer, who dreams of New Orleans in the shadow of the Vandoeuvre towers.
The Interceltic Festival of Lorient 2022
Comes last, with headphones. “a bit like a rock star“puts his colleague on the desk. But in fact Walid has been lecturing until 18:30 in Loritz, on the other side of town. The trumpeter follows the musical option in his high school in the center of Nancy. Then like every Tuesday evening , goes to rehearse with the Vandoeuvre Big Band: “I’ve already played, I’m hot“.
Led by Youssef Essawabi Since its creation two years ago, the group has around twenty members. That night, before the first concert of the season, a big shot shoots: under the Pépinière tent on Sunday 9 October 2022, the amateurs from the suburbs of Nancy will open the Nancy Jazz Pulsation evening. With their counterparts from Saint-Dié, they will form the Big Fat Band, a super orchestra of 38 musicians, experts in New Orleans music.
The Mozart classroom of the music school is packed. The musicians are amateurs, enlightened and enthusiastic about the idea of playing in Nancy’s temple of jazz. Youssef teases: “don’t party until seven in the morning! For outfit, t-shirt, jacket, how do you feel“. Walid replies:”will we be paid Youssef?“, the chef reassures him laughing:”Certain ! You will have all the recognition of the public“.
Walid continues to spin, relaxed. At his ease of him in his sneakers, with genuine confidence: “I don’t feel any particular pressure before this concert, I know what to do“. During the set, he will have three solos to perform, in front of the audience.”I have known Walid since he started playing in CE2, as part of the school orchestra. He played the alto sax horn, but then he switched to the trumpet“Remembers Youssef.
Big Band founder de Vandoeuvre saw Walid grow and progress at the speed of light: “is at the gates of professional orchestras“. The trombonist and music teacher praises his taste for improvisation. In Bulligny on Saturday 2 July 2022, both had embarked on a trumpet versus trombone battle. The young man had amazed the spectators, with his almost casual ease:”it wasn’t planned at all. JI heard it, I got up, and with Youssef we responded with improvisations“Walid was amused.
Youssef slips at the end of the tests that “Walid has a strong personality, even if he is very discreet. He has confidence in himself. I try to calm him down a little sometimes. It is in his world, with a profound maturity and a large room for improvement“.
The one who always believed in him is Lamia, his mother. On the fifth floor of his tower facing the town hall of Vandoeuvre, he receives with simplicity and attention. On the table coffee, makroud with honey and bassboussa, a delicious cake made with semolina, coconut, lemon and orange blossom. “I was the one who pushed Walid to take trumpet lessons. I paid for it. We found a studio instrument for 120 euros, and he played it until this summer!“Says the mother.
video duration: 01min 53
Walid Oumer is a great hope of the French jazz trumpet
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© Emmanuel Bouard / France 3 Lorraine
Lamia is raising her sixteen-year-old son by herself. She remembers her childhood in Algiers, between darbouka and dance lessons, a happy time: “I love Ibrahim Maalouf and the trumpet in our weddings. So I probably influenced Walid a bit“. The mother closely follows the younger son:”he is a teenager, he has to live his life, but he is a good boy, we are very close. I look at him, push him to work, tell him he can always do better, even though he averages 17 everywhere“.
The young man gives up little. He oscillates between shyness and swagger, no doubt surprised that people are interested in him. He takes us to his room where he can play from 18:00 to 20:00 “we agreed with the neighbors, because we don’t want to disturb them“. On the walls, posters by Soprano and Maitre Gims:”not necessarily what I listen to today, but I like to play everything“. At the age of 6, thanks to the internet, he discovered Chet Baker and Miles. For us he embarked on his interpretation of S3ns by Ibrahim Maalouf. The conservatory? “Not for me, I want to play everything, and not freeze in one style, plus I just formed a group with a bassist, a drummer, a pianist and three singers“.
If every week he dedicates about ten hours to music, between the Big Band, the musical option, the Municipal Harmony and the daily rehearsals, Walid is also passionate about chess: “the trumpet is for emotions, chess is for competition“. The trophies are piled up in his little blue room. For a few weeks he has had a new trumpet, an instrument at his level, paid by his mother 1500 euros, a fortune for the mother of the family”but he needs it to progress, it’s normal so I tighten my belt“. Lamia searches her phone and shows us a video shot during Covid: every night Walid rang at his window throughout the neighborhood:”people cheered, especially when the Marseillaise was playing, I was so proud …“
The young man, who has chosen mathematics, physics-chemistry and life and earth sciences in the first class, wants to become a surgeon. Unless he joins a professional orchestra. “Everything is possible“Walid smiles. Lamia focuses on her studies:”music is a hobby, the first school“.
His son nods respectfully. But the young man’s heart beats to the rhythms of New Orleans: “I save to go there, everything happens there. I want to go there with my trumpet, go to a club and play with the musicians there. i will go for sure“.
