Frédéric Viale – Caméléon

 This month, even richer in jazz news, we’d like to present the colorful album “Caméléon” by accordionist Frédéric Viale.  

If we’re counting right, this wonderful galette is his seventh album. Like us, you were dazzled by his previous album « Toots Simplement », and now you’re running to your record store to buy “Caméléon”!

From the very first bars of the first track – Frou Frou – the sound grabs you, the vibrations reminiscent of great organs… And you quickly recognize Henri Chatau’s popular tune.

So you sit back in your living-room armchair, turn up the speakers and plan to spend an hour and eight minutes revelling.

Then comes the eponymous track, “Caméléon”, a new composition by Frédéric Viale.

It’s virtuoso without overdoing it. Always delicious.

And the same goes for all the tracks that follow.

Shit, it’s 9:30 p.m. and I had a dinner date outside.

… I’ll explain my lateness, I had a very good excuse!

Indeed, the 19 tracks follow on from each other like pearls on a Koboloi string, as you let your mind wander to the heights of this sometimes cheerful, mechancolic, rhythmic music…

That’s Jazz folks! That’s Couleurs Jazz my Chameleon!

The next day, I give Frédéric Viale a call, and he’s off on a brilliant tour to present his new baby in our provinces and beyond.

He lends himself seriously to the interview I’m giving you here, lucky readers of Couleurs Jazz.

As for Couleurs Jazz Radio listeners, they can listen to Caméléon on their favorite media. Cameleon’s tracks will sit alongside those of “Toots Simplement”, punctuated by the latest jingles from your favorite radio station: “Couleurs Jazz Radio, Simply Jazz…”.

Dear Frédéric Viale, why the title Caméléon? Is it to do with the different colors the animal can blend into? Is it a way of hiding or adapting? ?

Frédéric Viale : The Chameleon has the particularity of adapting to its environment. It changes color to go unnoticed. With my accordion, I was soon attracted to a wide range of musical sensibilities. Musette, swing, jazz, Brazilian and Argentinean music, Cuban music, classical music and traditional music in general. I had to adapt my playing to the styles I wanted to play.

I think jazz enabled me to quickly understand that I had the right and even the duty to propose something singular. A personal universe, a personal language. Without, of course, trying to demonstrate or show anything. Just to be able to exist artistically through an instrument. At first, I hid myself a little in the sense that I only played my own music, feeling illegitimate to play other people’s music. I think I needed to mature and gain confidence.

Little by little, like a chameleon, I began to adapt this instrument to what I wanted to play, and even more, I was impregnated with everything I had listened to. I think my music is very colorful and eclectic. You can feel all my influences very quickly.

Choosing the accordion, an instrument sometimes tinged with musette and flonflons, as a travel companion for many years. Can you explain this choice?

FV :Basically, it wasn’t a choice. I wanted to do what my older sister did. We were in an accordion club run by Lucien Galliano.

For the first few years, I didn’t have any particular connection with the instrument, but around 13-14, I became passionate first about music and then very quickly about this instrument.

Musette and flonflons don’t bother me when they’re well played.

But, very quickly and thanks to the teacher I had, I was very attracted by the musicians who took the musette elsewhere. Tony Murena, Jo Privat, Gus Viseur, Marcel Azzola, Joe Rossi, Joss Baselli, Andre Astier, Roland Romanelli, Daniel Mille and, of course, Richard Galliano.

The accordion owes a lot to all these musicians. After that, I think I listened to fewer accordionists than jazzmen of any kind. Early on, I preferred jazz and improvised music. From Michel Petrucciani, Didier Lockwood, Eddy Louiss, Maurice Vander, Pierre Michelot, Christian Escoudé, Bireli Lagrene, Michel Portal and Daniel Humair to Miles, Bird, Bud Powell, Coltrane, Hampton Hawes, Mulgrew Miller and Woody Shaw.

But also Paquito de Rivera, Irakere, Piazzolla, Hermeto Pascoal, Sivuca, Enrico Rava, Jan Garbareck, Joachim Kuhn, etc.

In addition to the accordion, 3 tracks are played on the Mellowtone, an incredible instrument that you featured on your previous album, “Toots Simplement”, which also really thrilled us. Why this choice?

FV: Absolute love at first sight for this instrument. Unique in its sound and the way it’s played.

Inventor Anatole Tee has done wonders with this new sound. This instrument is close to the accordina, but at the same time has something more racy, unique and powerful. It’s not a question of better, it’s just elsewhere, and that’s already huge.

I wanted to add a different breath of fresh air to this solo accordion album.

Putting myself in the shoes of those who will listen to this album, I thought it wise to offer 3 different sonic tableaux. It’s a break.

I play three classical melodies Salut d’Amour d’Edgar, an extract from Brahms’ 3rd symphony and a composition in homage to Anatole.

I’m one of those music lovers who are not a fan, apriori, of the accordion (apriori are inevitably silly…). Yet I know that so many great practitioners of this woodwind musical instrument make me totally revise my judgement and instantly turn me around. I’m talking about Vincent Peirani, for example, of whom I’m an unconditional follower, but also Frédéric Viale! Because when I hear your playing and your music, particularly in your latest opus “Caméléon”, I’m astounded by the sound you’re capable of producing. How do you explain that? What’s the magic? or what are your recipes?

Translated with the help of www.DeepL.com/Translator