Michel Benita, double bassist, has kindly agreed to continue our series of the famous Proust questionnaires, given a light Couleurs Jazz twist…
An original way to climb the first steps into the world of these extraordinary jazz musicians, artists of our time.
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What, for you, is the ultimate expression of musical misery?
Ninety per cent of today’s French popular music, and above all, Auto-Tune!
Where would you like to live?
On the Île d’Yeu, where I already live! 😉
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Living on an island, surrounded by my family.
Which musical wrong notes are you most indulgent towards?
The ones you insist on until they become essential (cf. Miles Davis), thereby losing their status as “wrong notes”.
Who are your favourite fictional heroes?
Portnoy (Philip Roth), Robin Hood, Peter Pan.
Who is your favourite classical composer?
Bach, Ravel, Schoenberg…
Who are your favourite heroines or divas in real life?
Simone Veil and Simone Weil, Aretha Franklin, Shirley Horn, Joni Mitchell.
Who are your heroines in fiction?
Princess Leia, Pippi Longstocking, Elaine Benes (Seinfeld), Virginia Woolf.
Who is your favourite painter?
Egon Schiele, Fabienne Verdier, Turner, Rembrandt…
Who is your favourite jazz musician?
I have to give several answers, so I’ll cheat… Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Jon Hassell.
Who are your favourite double bass players?
Anders Jormin, Scott LaFaro, Charlie Haden, Lorraine Campet.
What quality do you most admire in a man?
Modesty, the absence of an oversized ego, and a certain degree of femininity.
What quality do you most admire in a woman?
The combination of beauty, humour and independence: the winning trio.
What is your favourite virtue?
Modesty.
What is your favourite occupation?
Cooking! And swimming in the ocean.
Who would you have liked to be?
A rock guitarist, striding across the stage while playing power chords.
Or perhaps a master cabinetmaker or luthier.
What is the most prominent trait of your character?
Impatience. There’s too much to do!
What do you value most in your friends?
The fact that they exist, that they are simply my friends and that, quite often, they have changed my life.
What is your main fault?
Impatience!
What is your dream of happiness?
To carry on living the way I have chosen to live. And to keep playing for as long as possible.
What would be your greatest misfortune?
To see my children or grandchildren die prematurely. In a war? Sadly, very much a topical concern.
What would you like to be?
A musician, now and always.
What is your favourite colour?
When I was little, it was red, like the fire engines. These days, I’d say lemon yellow.
What is your favourite flower?
A white lily or a yellow rose.
Which bird do you prefer?
The mockingbird, preferably. A magnificent whistler!
Who are your favourite prose writers?
Philip Roth, Jim Harrison, Paul Auster, Jorge Luis Borges, Fred Vargas…
Who are your favourite poets?
I’m not a great reader of poetry but, in the classical tradition, Victor Hugo: a giant.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My father; Barack Obama.
Who are your heroes in history?
Martin Luther King, Charles de Gaulle, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie.
What are your favourite names?
Isabelle, Judith, Valentine, Céleste…
What do you detest above all else?
The far right and conspiracy theories. Self-satisfied ignorance and mediocrity in general.
Which reform do you admire most?
The abolition of the death penalty and the legalisation of abortion.
What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Muscular flexibility and perfect pitch.
How would you like to die?
In my bed, without even realising it, obviously. Not on stage: a heart attack in front of an audience is definitely not for me.
How would you define jazz?
A particular approach to music, notably through improvisation, rather than a clearly defined style.
What is your present state of mind?
Serenity, coupled with an awareness of my immense privileges: being in good health and having been able to choose my own life. So many people in the world are not afforded that chance.
What is your motto?
More than ever: Woman is the future of Man!
Your signature track?
A solo teaser, recorded at Le Triton, Les Lilas, on 1 November 2023.
Listen to it here
©Photo cover Wiktor Franko.
©Photo Header Michel Benita & Archie Shepp -ARR
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