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"Standards" represent the heritage of jazz since the end of the Thirties. The musicians behind this music had to confront these "pre-requisites". Just imagine a pianist who didn't care about any music before Schubert. Whatever his choice of future career, a training which didn't include Bach or Mozart would seem almost unbelievable.
We decided to record well-known songs or tunes from every era. Almost a century after the birth of jazz, we had to make each theme our own – making a modest contribution to the ever-changing body of work.
Using fresh chords, and time- and style- changes, we rediscovered the themes of Kern, Jobim, Ellington or Coltrane. The original idea of this project, as well as having fun with it, was to make it possible for the new listener to recognize the basic repertoire but also to interest more experienced jazz fans in the new versions.
To perform this demanding music on stage and in the studio, I chose highly-experienced and gifted musicians who are also long-time partners and friends. The quartet has been in existence for four years and thrives on everyone's generous contributions of talent and time.
Francis Demange |
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