Jean-Pierre Savelli: From Peter and Sloane to Great Hits of Michel Legrand

He is much more than the male voice of the duo Peter and Sloane: Need anything want you.

Pepper and salt hair provided, sunglasses on his nose and a permanent smile: Jean-Pierre Savelli is in place at the port of Toulon to answer questions after several decades of career in show biz.

He has seen everything, known everything… and avoided everything to survive in this so-called “devouring” artistic world. At the end of the month, Jean-Pierre Savelli presents his brand new show in La Valette devoted to the great songs of Michel Legrand.

Jean-Pierre Savelli you return to your land…

Yes exactly. It will be on May 28 at the Espace Pierre-Bel in La Valette. It will be in the afternoon so that everyone can come. it makes me very happy to sing here because I am a child of Besagne. For all time. And, after 50 years in Paris, you cannot know how happy I was to be back on stage on the edge of the harbour.

Let’s go back in time a bit. How did it all start?

I will tell you everything. My father was a singer here. He had a magazine. He taught me my first guitar chords. He knew Georgette Plana, a glory of the 1960s, well. One day, we went up to Paris and I came face to face with a panel: Productions Michel Legrand. A sign? Anyway, I got my first contract with him. Today is a bit of a homecoming.

What will the public of the Var discover?

We are going to play all the great hits of Michel Legrand: Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Summer 42, The Demoiselles de Rochefort, Donkey Skin and also lesser known titles. For this concert, I turned to musicians from the conservatory of Toulon. On stage, they will be four: a drums, a double bass, a keyboard and a sax-flute. We will perform about fifteen songs. We look forward!

Either way, Valletta is a well-known place for you, right?

Yes. Returning from Paris, five years ago, this is where I found refuge with my wife, Sandry. Musical theater workshops were offered there. La Valette and Solliès-Pont said “yes” right away!

And after?…

Afterwards, the agenda will be loaded. The tribute show to Michel Legrand will travel. We hope to find a room in Toulon to bring it to life and in other towns in the Var. I also propose for the summer a show entitled “The 1970s and 1980s”. I’m going to sing the great hits of Michel Fugain, Daniel Balavoine, Michel Delpech, Christophe… Two dates are already set in Pradet and Pignans. It will be in the form of a medley of the great songs of each artist. On stage, I will be accompanied by two singers and many dancers. A great show!

When you walk around Toulon, do you get stopped in the street?

Yeah, but it’s still super cool. What I appreciate here is that no one calls out to me saying: “Peter” in reference to the duo Peter and Sloane. They call me Jean-Pierre and it’s very good like that (laughs).

Let’s get back to this mythical duo. THE climax of your career?

The biggest hit, for sure! We sold 2 million 45s. In the Top 50, we were ahead of Michael Jackson, can you imagine? It was a great time. Between 1978 and 1981, mythical period!

There were also the voices you did for the cartoon credits? The first manga in history…

It’s true, but I confess that, personally, I didn’t believe it. It was Mike Brant’s producer who phoned me one day and asked me to sing over the credits of a new cartoon. It went like this.

Then the credits of the 80s followed one another…

Oh yes! X-Or, Once upon a time in space and Grendizer, the greatest of the greats.

With success, did your head spin?

Never. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I’m careful. No abuse, no excess to last.

What advice would you give to a beginning artist?

Never sign a contract in a disco! (laughs). You have to sign the day. More seriously, I advise young people to learn an instrument: so as not to be dependent on someone to be able to sing. To work a lot too. That’s what I do in the singing lessons I give here. Myself,

I have a daughter Lola who got into the artistic world. She knows it takes luck and skill. So a lot of work. Even today, I work on my voice because I have to perform on stage (smile). I do everything for. Especially here where it’s my favorite audience.

He is much more than the male voice of the duo Peter and Sloane: Need anything want you.

Pepper and salt hair provided, sunglasses on his nose and a permanent smile: Jean-Pierre Savelli is in place at the port of Toulon to answer questions after several decades of career in show biz.

He has seen everything, known everything… and avoided everything to survive in this so-called “devouring” artistic world. At the end of the month, Jean-Pierre Savelli presents his brand new show in La Valette devoted to the great songs of Michel Legrand.

Jean-Pierre Savelli you return to your land…

Yes exactly. It will be on May 28 at the Espace Pierre-Bel in La Valette. It will be in the afternoon so that everyone can come. it makes me very happy to sing here because I am a child of Besagne. For all time. And, after 50 years in Paris, you cannot know how happy I was to be back on stage on the edge of the harbour.

Let’s go back in time a bit. How did it all start?

I will tell you everything. My father was a singer here. He had a magazine. He taught me my first guitar chords. He knew Georgette Plana, a glory of the 1960s, well. One day, we went up to Paris and I came face to face with a panel: Productions Michel Legrand. A sign? Anyway, I got my first contract with him. Today is a bit of a homecoming.

What will the public of the Var discover?

We are going to play all the great hits of Michel Legrand: Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Summer 42, The Demoiselles de Rochefort, Donkey Skin and also lesser known titles. For this concert, I turned to musicians from the conservatory of Toulon. On stage, they will be four: a drums, a double bass, a keyboard and a sax-flute. We will perform about fifteen songs. We look forward!

Either way, Valletta is a well-known place for you, right?

Yes. Returning from Paris, five years ago, this is where I found refuge with my wife, Sandry. Musical theater workshops were offered there. La Valette and Solliès-Pont said “yes” right away!

And after?…

Afterwards, the agenda will be loaded. The tribute show to Michel Legrand will travel. We hope to find a room in Toulon to bring it to life and in other towns in the Var. I also propose for the summer a show entitled “The 1970s and 1980s”. I’m going to sing the great hits of Michel Fugain, Daniel Balavoine, Michel Delpech, Christophe… Two dates are already set in Pradet and Pignans. It will be in the form of a medley of the great songs of each artist. On stage, I will be accompanied by two singers and many dancers. A great show!

When you walk around Toulon, do you get stopped in the street?

Yeah, but it’s still super cool. What I appreciate here is that no one calls out to me saying: “Peter” in reference to the duo Peter and Sloane. They call me Jean-Pierre and it’s very good like that (laughs).

Let’s get back to this mythical duo. THE climax of your career?

The biggest hit, for sure! We sold 2 million 45s. In the Top 50, we were ahead of Michael Jackson, can you imagine? It was a great time. Between 1978 and 1981, mythical period!

There were also the voices you did for the cartoon credits? The first manga in history…

It’s true, but I confess that, personally, I didn’t believe it. It was Mike Brant’s producer who phoned me one day and asked me to sing over the credits of a new cartoon. It went like this.

Then the credits of the 80s followed one another…

Oh yes! X-Or, Once upon a time in space and Grendizer, the greatest of the greats.

With success, did your head spin?

Never. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I’m careful. No abuse, no excess to last.

What advice would you give to a beginning artist?

Never sign a contract in a disco! (laughs). You have to sign the day. More seriously, I advise young people to learn an instrument: so as not to be dependent on someone to be able to sing. To work a lot too. That’s what I do in the singing lessons I give here. Myself,

I have a daughter Lola who got into the artistic world. She knows it takes luck and talent. So a lot of work. Even today, I work on my voice because I have to perform on stage (smile). I do everything for. Especially here where it’s my favorite audience.

It remains between us

What puts you in a good mood in the morning?

The music, the sun and the blue sky.

And in a bad mood?

Here I am NEVER in a bad mood. I look at the sky and I am happy. With my wife, we take our dogs and we go for a walk on the beaches.

Bio express

1949: birth in Toulon, next to the Mayol stadium.

1973: he participates in the first French rock opera: the French Revolution.

1984: the famous duo Peter and Sloane squat for nine weeks at the top of the Top 50.

2017: back in Toulon, he creates with his wife musical comedy workshops for children and adults.

2023: he produces an album of covers of Michel Legrand titles and launches new shows in the Var.