Sabine Kouli - Mink (2019)

We salute the release of a cheering album, from the long-time artistic complicity of the trumpet player, composer, conductor, Raphael Minfray, and the singer and choir director Sabine Kouli. Their collaboration was especially expressed in the electro jazz group Abigoba, where the trumpet, or the bugle, marries the voice, the two roles seem interchangeable, as a reminder of the duo orchestrated by Duke Ellington between Adelaide Hall and Bubber Miley in Creole Love Call.

Raphael Minfray really enjoyed himself by overcoming the challenge of repeating major works of the repertoire, writing arrangements that are both scholarly and without unnecessary artifice, always at the service of the theme and the soloists. How to get away from examples like Chet Baker on Estate, Miles Davis in Nature Boy, or Ray Charles in Georgia …

The additional challenge was to burn all the brass parts in re-recording: four trumpets, four trombones and five saxophones, thanks to the talent of Caroline Sylvestre on the trombone, Nacim Brahimi on the saxophones, and the maestro on the trumpet , all in front of the solid rhythm of Thibaud Saby on piano, Pascal Berne on double bass and Hervé Humbert on drums and percussion.

The choice of the repertoire is also audacious, ranging from jazz standards, to the original composition, passing by the French song and the bossa with Estate:

Winter Garden, this composition of Benjamin Biolay and Keren Ann, on a decidedly bossa rhythm, makes the bet, managed, to move away from the whispered and felted song practiced by Henri Salvador or Stacey Kent, and to take a slightly longer tempo. removed.

 Be Good, by Gregory Porter, maintained in 3/4 as in the original, offers the opportunity of a beautiful flugelhorn chorus by Raphael Minfray, and relevant tutti.

Nature Boy, a theme written by Eden Ahbez (whose real name is George Mc Grex) in 1947, was picked up by Miles Davis in the Cool Jazz album of 1955, an opportunity Miles seized to claim the paternity, a spin-off of which he was customary (Four is actually Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Straight, No Chaser Monk is renamed Jazz At The Plazza by Miles in the 1973 session, and half of the mythical album Kind of Blue would be to wear to the credit of Bill Evans …).
This theme is worth to us here a beautiful introduction to the piano by Thibaud Saby.

Do not leave me, J. Brel and Gérard Jouannest (his accompanist pianist is not credited, for not having registered for SACEM!) Is interpreted by Sabine Kouli with all the emotion required, on variations of rhythm : rumba on the verses and salsa on the chorus.

Estate, by Bruno Martino (on Bruno Brighetti's lyrics) represents one of the major challenges of this disc, because of the shadow of the version Chet Baker and Nicola Stilo on the flute. The bet is won, the singer prints her own style, and Raphael offers us a beautiful bugle chorus.

Janus, and an original composition of Raphael Minfray, of binary and entirely orchestral spirit, which highlights the rhythm section, with a chorus of Thibaud Saby on the electric piano, then a beautiful solo of Nacim Brahimi on saxophone.

Georgia, from the prolific Hoagy Carmichael in 1930, with lyrics by Stuart Gorell, has been in everyone's ears ever since Ray Charles's 1960's version. Sabine Kouli puts her gospel singer feeling, well supported by scholarly arrangements.

Proud Mary, by John Fogerty recalls the version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969, and the recovery by Ike and Tina Turner in 1971 (the rhythm doublings for the latter).
Pascal Berne gives us an introduction to the double bass, and the drummer expresses himself after the vocal performance.

In summary, beautiful orchestration and set-up in the studio, arrangements to boost attention, and rich carpets that support the singer. Silk and velvet, like the coat of a mink, "mink" in English.

Tracklist:

01. Jardin d'hiver
02. Be Good
03. Nature Boy
04. Ne me quitte pas
05. Estate
06. Janus
07. Georgia on My Mind
08. Proud Mary