Silky and luminous tone, mind-blowing technique, stunning sensitivity, subtlety of improvisations and interpretations, astonishing stage charisma… We never tire of repeating it: the Korean Youn Sun Nah is, in our humble point of view, one of the greatest jazz singers in the world. This Saturday, October 3 at JAM in Montpellier, she defends in duet with pianist Bojan Z, her album “Elles”, a tribute to the great female voices who helped her find her own.
How was this very specific project of covering standards popularized by iconic women born?
Initially, I just wanted to record a whole album of standards. I am considered a jazz singer but until then I had never recorded a pure standards album. As my previous album only contained original compositions, I thought it was the right time for a collection of covers. But as I started to select the songs, I realized that most of them were sung by incredible women so I changed direction and focused on these inspirations who spanned the ages: Nina Simone, Björk, Billie Holiday, Grace Jones, Edith Piaf, Roberta Flack, etc.
Did you choose the personalities or the pieces first?
At the beginning, I had selected more than a hundred, I had to reduce my selection, 50, 30… I finally recorded fifteen tracks but only retained ten for the album. I just chose pieces that were dear to me. If I had to do an album again with the same concept, perhaps I would choose other singers but at that time, they were the ones. But the list of my admirations is so long!
There is a certain unity of atmosphere, always something of a blues, a saudade, a melancholy…
It’s true. People sometimes ask me to make happy songs that make people dance, but I don’t know why, but I’m happy when I sing sad songs! (laughs) It’s weird, no doubt, but I love this slightly melancholic side. Afterwards, see Nina Simone, whatever she sings, whether it’s a Beatles song, a standard or a traditional, it becomes Nina Simone. This is what I admire in these singers.
But that’s precisely what you’re doing with this record!
Ah, ah, a little, yes, finally! (laughs) I’m not like them, I’m quite a shy person. Afterwards, on stage, I don’t really know why but I have more courage than in daily life. Maybe that’s what I really like about them: their ability to overcome all difficulties? They survived, and they became music itself, and timeless. If I can do it, even a little bit, then I’m happy!
It seems to us that “Elles” is the first recording on which you allow yourself to engrave what you naturally do on stage: go into impossible vocal acrobatics, in short let yourself go!
From my studies in jazz school, I loved it, the choruses, the vocals… It’s a very pleasant challenge to take on, although really very difficult to succeed. I worked on this a lot, alone, in my corner, and one day, I did it on stage, the people loved it, and the musicians too, so since then, I’ve allowed myself this kind of pieces on stage. It’s a bit thanks to this singer, Maria Joao (whose song Coisas da terra I cover): she has incredible vocal abilities, at one moment you think she’s a little girl and the next moment it’s She’s a terrifying lioness! She was the one who showed me that there were no limits to the voice.
On this record, this time you are only accompanied by a keyboard player…
I like it when we’re not on stage a lot, this intimacy. It’s easier to communicate. That’s why I toured for a long time with just one guitarist, Ulf Wakenius. This time I wanted to do it with a piano but John Cowherd plays all kinds of keyboards, he can sound in so many different ways. It’s a real jukebox: it can play everything! On tour, I am accompanied by different pianists depending on the dates; which is incredible: even if I play the same repertoire, it’s a different show each time!
In Montpellier, it will be the immense Bojan Z!
He’s a musician I’ve admired for a long time. When I arrived in France, he was already a star. So far, we’ve only played together once, I was so happy he was up for it. He has such a unique, surprising, very percussive playing. When we did this concert together in Korea, the audience was amazed: no one had ever had anyone play the piano like him!
Are you aware that with this project, you are making a feminist gesture, of artistic sorority?
Women, men, we are all human beings but we are different, and it is the difference that has always been scary. Not only the difference of sexes, moreover, also that of cultures, skin colors, backgrounds, opinions, etc. I think that we will never be able to completely understand men, nor completely women, but that’s also the beauty: accepting not to understand everything about the other but accepting the other despite everything!
You are yourself a message: a Korean Francophile, great voice of jazz singing in English…
When I started my jazz school in France, students asked me what Korean jazz was? I was naive, I told them that I didn’t know that jazz had a nationality. But now I understand what they wanted to ask me: what was special about jazz in Korea. Anyway, for me, France is such an open country. I became aware of it at the start of my career: on one of my first albums, there was a song in Korean and it was precisely this song that the radio (TSF, I remember) had playlisted! I understood there that it was a country that was ready to welcome people from other backgrounds, to give them a chance. I often say it to my Korean friends: I was very lucky, I owe a lot to France.
Will we one day have the pleasure of seeing you sign an entire album in French?
It’s a dream for me! I wish I could make it one day. But I still have to work a lot. I still need to improve my French! This language… When I sing Over time in front of a Korean audience, they may not understand anything, they cry, the music of the language acts beyond the words…
In the meantime, can we hope for another album of original compositions like “Waking world”, which was so magnificent?
I’m actually working on my next album! (laughs) Yes, I’m trying to compose new songs.
You are the “godmother” of JAM which is celebrating its 45th anniversary. What does this room inspire you?
I’ve played it twice already. I adore ! A place like JAM, both a jazz school and a jazz club, is a dream for me. I would love to put it in my suitcase and bring it back to Korea! (laughs) It’s a place that allows musicians to achieve their dream: to go on stage! These are musicians who give lessons there, passing on their experience to younger musicians who will have the opportunity to play on stage. I feel like there’s a lot of love and passion in this project, and it’s great!
In concert this Saturday October 3, from 9 p.m., at JAM100 rue Ferdinand-de-Lesseps, Montpellier. €15 to €30. 04 67 58 30 30.
