While Jazz is seen by many as an old-fashioned, bedridden, even dying musical style, the hope of a breath of fresh air was born to us. If some already call him " The Messiah" of modern Jazz , Jacob Collier has, at the age of 22, become the center of world attention because of his extraordinary talent. It symbolizes the succession of a genre that seemed to be gradually dying out. Your Jazz JUSTFOCUS specialist briefly presents it to you.
Hope.
Jazz is one of those styles that, in the minds of most young people, is too complex a music to be worth looking into. The less young, to make periphrase, if they deign to try, or even appreciate, often confine themselves to the eternal inescapable. The collective apprehension of trying to listen to a song is strangely similar to the fear of trying a dead language. It's a bit like the Latin of music. This frightens young people, evokes a certain nostalgia in the oldest, or even completely dumps others.
To get straight to the point, and not necessarily in Marseille, general opinion does not envisage any hope of renewal, progression, or resurrection in this world of another era. Is this illogical? In no case is it even very understandable. Let him raise his hand the one who thinks he has found a replacement for Herbie Hancock … Or an equivalent of Miles Davis. Would anyone have met the new Jaco Pasius? Let's be reasonable, do you want to.
Discovery.
But, are we not contradicting ourselves; the irreplaceable are untouchable, but the future of Jazz is assured? Well, yes. Jacob Collier is not the future Bill Evans, the next Charlie Parker and even less the new Buddy Rich. Jacob is Jacob. And that's enough, believe me. And since we do not start with the end in general, let's talk about the beginnings of the young British.
It all starts on Youtube (for a change). An essential platform for popularizing talent, it is a certain Quincy Jones who will "discover" Jacob on the application with red windows. And no, I'm not going to tell you about a kid who, carried by the hopes of his family, registers desperately in order to make the Buzz on the Net. It is reasonable to think that the most influential producer in the history of music would never bet 50 cents on it. It is a young boy of 16/17 years, fluent and simple, with an infectious smile and talent as discreet as infinite that jumps to the eyes of Mr. Jones. It is 2011/2012.
A tribute to Stevie Wonder as his first solo appearance. A tribute, I said, not carnage. The regulars of traumatic "Covers" understand me. But you'll learn that Jacob reinvents the classics, with great respect. Therefore, if "Isn't She Lovely" is brilliantly based on a sublime succession of four chords (with C # / F# / B / E: respectively Do # / Fa # / Si / E in fundamentals), the "Harmonizer", from his nickname, explores all the harmonic possibilities of the piece and offers it a new life. With the help of numerous chord sequences, supplemented by a whole bunch of resolutions (passing chords to make the connection between the chords on which the general harmony of the melody is based, and to make the transitions smooth and pleasant), he deploys treasures of arrangements that give a completely different tone to the piece. So much so that the song belongs to him, the time of his performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cttFanV0o7c
If you know this classic of the American song, this version may seem confusing to you. So sit comfortably, listen in good audio conditions, and pay attention. The depth and richness of the arrangements are to be meditated. A real lesson that we, amateurs, confirmed and professionals, receive from this young unpretentious self-taught. Also, you will not fail to notice that he wears as many shirts as he superimposes his voice; each shirt is itself accompanied by a hairstyle that varies.
Multi-instrumentalism.
Let's break the ice now. He's not a great singer. He is not looking for any vocal performance. He uses his voice like a genius. His voice is one of the many instruments of which he has an impressive mastery. What difference does it make? Everything. Jacob is what you might call a "multi-instrumentalist." He uses as many instruments as his arrangements require. Therefore, if he is a true master of piano / keyboard, technically and harmonically, his level on the bass (and double bass) leaves more than one stunned. Guitars of all kinds, percussion in number, from the accordion to the melodica (small piano blowing about forty keys), through the drums and so on; these are the 20/30 or so instruments (depending on whether you distinguish between categories and genres) that Maestro Collier has in his fingers.
Did you say self-taught? Yes, that is what I said. Jacob learned music in his room. This room, or rather this "room" (the bed, I don't see where to put it in there) is filled with instruments. "It's the place where I feel the best in the world," he says. His mother, an excellent violinist and recognized teacher, has always imposed the culture of music in the house. He was born into it, one would say. So, surrounded by these shiny objects, he tried everything. And it works pretty well, doesn't it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvKUttYs5ow
Composer / Performer / Singer / Producer / Inventor?
Now you have to put yourself in Quincy Jones' shoes (yes I know, not obvious). All his studio mates leave one after the other, his most loyal friends and closest collaborators. The latest being none other than the huge Rod Temperton. One of his main concerns is the transfer of power, ensuring the right transition for the future of modern Jazz, and future generations. So when he pulls Jacob out of the shadows, it's a breath of fresh air for him. "Jacob is one of the greatest talents in the world. We must cherish them all." These words are well weighed.
After multiple appearances for covers, as a "Guest Artist" (invited to play with other bands / musicians), including I Wish with the WDR Big Band / sessions with Snarky Puppy / Jamie Cullum, where Jacob has distinguished himself both in his ability to improvise on all styles, to perform for anyone and in any situation, The time has come for a first solo album. "In My Room" (to recall his intimate musical learning) was releasedon July 1, 2016, and confirmed his status as a new great figure of Jazz.
In this album: Jacob sings everything, plays everything, invents everything, arranges everything, and composes everything (with the exception of "In My Room", "You and I" and "Flinstones", covers that he reinvented in his own way). "I wanted to crystallize what it's like to be Jacob at 22. Iwanted to do everything myself to keep this personal and intimate memory, to express myself alone, "he confides. It is for this reason that he even goes so far as to be his own producer. I don't think a Swiss Army knife has as many features. It is not over. At Britain's Jazz FM Award in 2016, Collier received a special award. He is the winner of the "Digital Initiative of the Year", a prize awarded in reference to his collaboration with the MIT Media Lab for the creation of a new musical instrument. Indeed, to recreate as faithfully as possible the principle of his first videos on Youtube (namely the superposition of many voices to create chords and arrangements), MIT makes him a keyboard, connected directly to his microphone, offering him the possibility of increasing his voice tenfold in as many notes that he presses at the same time on the keyboard.
Explanation: Jacob sings the basic melodic line of a song. But, because his genius of harmonic construction requires him to complicate the chords and fill the pause times with endless resolutions, this melodic line, sung by him, will multiply tenfold, multiply in as many keys, notes in the chord that he will play. Therefore, if he sings an LA (A) and wants a chorus of A minor (Am), he keeps his note sung in A and presses the keys LA (A) C (C) E (E) – notes that form the basic chord of LA minor – and finds himself multiplied, as if a choir accompanied him live. That's big.
Jacob Collier's projects, the future.
If I had any advice for you, I would tell you to buy his album twice. One to listen to it, engrave it, chew it and then the rest looks at you. The other, to keep it under cellophane, because the chances that it will take a very high value (if not fiduciary, then for collectors) are indisputable. The talented artist is also very active (maybe even hyperactive?). Parallel to the release of his "Debut Album", he has made a good tripotée of faithful through various projects all more crazy than the others.
#IHarmU is a good example of that. Adulated in the world for his infinite vision of arrangements, he has the idea of involving his fans. The game is simple: "You send me a video of you singing, either a melody of yours, or your favorite song, anything, etc. But especially without "harmony" (that is to say devoid of all or part of instrument intervention and arrangements, chords, basses, etc …). And I HARMONIZE you (hence the #IHarmU).The idea was all the rage, so much so that personalities lent themselves to the game (like Jamie Cullum). And to unwind, it blows your mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM2nhLSeJXg
Having become the protégé of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Quincy Jones and even our dear Stevie Wonder, Jacob Collier has a string of Jazz festivals (such as the very famous Montreux Jazz Festival, during which he opened for Jazz in 2015. Herbie Hancock…). It is during this same session that he will present his "Harmonizer", which increases his voice tenfold. The innovation was received as an exceptional technical feat (not to be confused with the "Vocoder", which does not have the same characteristics and vocations), and was accompanied by the projection of Collier's face as many times as he duplicated his voice. He plays all the instruments live, on stage, thanks to the famous "Looper" (machine to create loops repeatedly, instrument after instrument, instantly). Here we are back, towards the future.
He is on tour as I speak to you (way of speaking, or writing, I am lost). Parisians, are you ready for frustration? No full concert in Paris. "Just" a first part on Sunday, November 20, 2016 at the Salle PLEYEL – Paris8th. I know, I myself had a depression when I found out. We will be content with that for now. But the time for it to make a wider audience in the hexagon will come quickly and we will have it soon.
I may not have been able to convince you, I am sorry in advance. So, all you have to do is make up your own mind. Listen to this boy, watch a Live. And maybe come to the same conclusion as these famous people:
Jacob Collier, according to:
The Guardian: "Amazing and unique, the new messiah of Jazz."
Herbie Hancock: "Wow, Jacob, your thing is crazy! »
Quincy Jones: "I've never seen a talent like this before. Beyond all categories »
Pat Metheny: "I'm a big fan… Beautiful chords, beautiful arrangements, great voice"
BBC Radio 3: "A multi-talented, glorious, extraordinary musician! »
Take 6: "Man, you're just ABOVE! »
Tower of Power: "We're big fans.! »
Peter Erskine: "Your music is legendary Jacob, I'd like to be like you when I grow up" (he's old this splendid drummer…)
Chick Corea: "Majestic"
Incognito: "The eighth wonder of the world! »
And now it's a lot, so I stop, even if I don't say half of it.
