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Frédéric
Paul amazes us with his mastery, his touch and his virtuosity (not at all arrogant). We
can only appreciate the existence of a music which allows such diversity showing us
something we are not used to.
Interview Jazz Convergences
France’s child has come a long way since his music studies at the Marseille
Conservatory and in California… Already acclaimed by national and international
critics, our composer and concert pianist has attracted a great deal of attention due to
the independence of his hands and a solid left hand. These are intense moments for
Frédéric Paul…
Charles Robotti - Le Méridional
Frédéric Paul’s music captivates us…, an affirmation of
talent; a pleasure to listen to and then listen to this affirmation again…
Jacky Ritz - Jazz Convergences
“Cross-Words” or cross worlds, is a real exchange at
Frédéric Paul Lallet’s and of Eddie Gomez’s crossroads, as shown in the six
themes they composed together (the others, nearly all from the pianist’s pen). Even
if everyone knows the double bass player’s path, one would be pleasantly surprised to
discover here a young French pianist who already has a personal universe, neither
ordinarily “evans-like”, nor bluntly “jarrettish”. A universe
traversed by strides of memories or impressionists, of airy or dancing melodies, and to
which we can easily see how it had given Eddie Gomez great pleasure to associate with his
own. A universe where we can savor the “product” at our leisure while awaiting
the promising developments it leads us to hope for.
Thierry Quénum - Jazz magazine
Nobody would say that the pianist, Frédéric P. Lallet, took the easy road when he chose,
as his first two recordings, forms of expression belonging to exercises in style and
instrumental mastery. In a duo with Eddie Gomez on Cross Words, with whom six themes were
composed, the serene and not the verbose trade prevails of two roads and two personalities
where the content of the ensemble inevitably reflect the aesthetic of Bill Evans and his
epigones, namely Keith Jarrett. On Contrastes, in a solo, Frédéric P. Lallet accentuates
this allegiance even more and unveils the intimacy of his discourse by means of
impressionist combinations created by both tension and respite. Even if the atmosphere of
these two CDs don’t abandon the European, classical piano approach, which could
irritate some, the sensitive and calm universe of this musician is worth spending time on.
François Vernier - Jazz Hot
A good, free-jazz style, solo Album, Contrastes reminds us of the famous Koln Concert
given by Keith Jarrett. It isn’t an imitation, but a really nice, good album, private
and wild with musical images of peaceful moments and breaking curls, of swings and violent
harmonies, at times dense but always free. The pianist reveals his private world to us and
invites us to meditate upon it. The piano expresses all the acoustic richness of which it
is capable, it opens up paths worth taking. A beautiful production from a pianist who has
played with the greats because he is one of them. Must buy urgently.
Pluriel Magazine
He is a young, pianist from La Ciotat who already possesses a very
personal style. He played in a duo with Eddie Gomez for his very first compact disk
(“Cross-Words” – Too Much Records) thus giving him a solid reference.
Especially as you could (in the very early 90s) begin to notice a very personal universe.
With “Contrastes” his second CD, but first solo laser, which followed quickly
on, Fred Lallet opens the doors to his personal, musical world wide open. A free, private,
varied, and rather European world. In it we can find reassuring classicism but also the
typical sudden rise in sound from free-jazz, contained and even guided with a rare sense
of balance. From tension to respite, Lallet takes advantage of alternating programs to
share with us the acoustic richness of the piano that tends to get forgotten. Original in
his approach, with daring aesthetic, he hands out along the way, some exercises in style
(which may disturb a few people), but which increase the value of his sensitive yet quite
calm world. This, in any case, deserves lingering over since it isn’t everyday that
one hears a young pianist from La Ciotat express himself with such inspiration and
originality.
Le Méridional
During the several years he spent in the USA, rubbing elbows with the great names of jazz,
Frédéric Paul has benefited from a surprising musical education. “Contrastes”
unveils the great freedom and musical ease of an artist who, considering his talent as a
God given talent, wants to bring us closer to Him through his art. It’s from within
his faith that he draws his inspiration, and his subtle technique, outside the “jazz
standards”, shows hope. A great, solo piano, album with avant-garde accents for all
jazz lovers.
Séphora Music Magazine
It was a Friday night and the weather was awful… Even so, the
audience was present for the first concert given in our city by the composer Frédéric P.
Lallet. It was at the church of Saint Antoine, on the road to Vittullo, and the 200 people
who discovered this artist weren’t sorry they made the trip despite the freezing wind
and the storm. One need only read the friendly comments written in the guest book to see
it. Nice, enthusiastic, words of admiration. Comforting, all the same, in this time of
high-pitched pessimism, don’t you think? Also something to think about concerning
explanations sometimes given to justify empty concert halls…
S. Florence - La Corse
Cocktail “Jazz and Vodka”: Frédéric P. Lallet has been
invited by the Russian Minister of Culture and will be touring Moscow at the beginning of
March. In this manner, he will be the ambassador to the imperial city since he will
deliver the medal of the city of Ajaccio and a letter written by the General Council of
the South of Corsica encouraging cultural exchanges to the Russian authorities.
La Corse - Le Provençal
A swing oasis… To say that Ajaccio is a cultural desert would
be a little harsh, but all deserts have their oasis. Frédéric Paul Lallet is one of
them, an oasis that swings…
Interview J.P. Frigara - Journal de la Corse Le Doyen de la Presse Française
Frédéric P. Lallet : Some like it spiritual…
Interview Paese Magazine
Frédéric P. Lallet: the artist who has recorded with the jazz
greats and combines his faith to his art…
Interview M. Mukena - Le Christianisme |
This boy who grew up all of a sudden, strolls gazing elsewhere…
On the sax, he appears to be immediately in harmony with the instrument, he puts it in his
mouth and the magic of acoustic vibrations transcend the emotions of an audience
that’s been carried away.
A moving ecstasy.
Sitting at the piano, meditative or agitated, Frédéric P. Lallet fascinates. Gifted with
a superb independence in his hands and impeccable technique, rhythms and notes cascade and
crash in harmony unveiling his genius through this clever combination.
Quite close to divine, a musician is actually born as a channel through which he
communicates with a superior force, leaving behind unforgettable moments and eternal
resonance…
Frédéric P. Lallet, born in 1960, began classical piano lessons at the age of seven and
saxophone at the age of ten at the Regional Conservatory of Marseille. He received the
first prize in music theory and at 18, he decided to embark on the long trip to the United
States to somehow go back to the roots of that universal language called Jazz.
He stayed there 6 years, learning music in a manner in which he had always dreamt: at the
Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles and meeting all the great names of the stage,
i.e. Lou Lévy, Los Schiffrin, etc.
The communication among musicians would increase, quite quickly, above and beyond all
conscious technical limitations, to blossom into a unique language, a spiritual dialog, to
reach one goal: a communion of souls through art.
He likes being a risk-taker and looks for the same presence among other instrumentalists.
He is considered progressive in the practice of his music, encouraging, in this way, a
personal interpretation.
Frédéric P. Lallet feels free to ask himself questions about going beyond the
“comfort” status, and so, in his own way, he’s a nonconformist.
His fertile imagination, combined with a creative spirit, stimulates a will, a desire, and
I would even say, a duty to refine and to clarify his musical language as proven by his
compositions and his improvisations (spontaneous compositions). For, as it is for
everyone, the road to perfection even though it is necessary, it is also delicate. Also,
doesn’t he try to come closer to the creative source by means of his music?
Wouldn’t it be, after all, the real calling of the Artist?
Geniuses like Art Pepper or John Coltrane (Frédéric Paul’s favorite Jazz musicians)
came from the ghetto and shady bars and pubs; hostile universes to all sensitivity and yet
generators of exceptional beings. Frustration, moral and physical suffering, quite often,
give birth to artists.
For Frédéric P. Lallet, going on a spiritual retreat, during which he was deprived of
any contact with an instrument, was the catalyst for his musical concept and the trigger
to the mastery of his art.
For him, music is a gift and will remain a gift. Only an attitude of humility and respect
will allow him to achieve this joy of creating and sharing.
Whether its on the saxophone or on the piano. Frédéric P. Lallet continues to surprise
us…
Helyette Cacchia
Attachée de presse
In his album, “As it is”, recorded in New York, Frédéric Paul, on the
saxophone, continues his concept of not constantly using music that has already been
composed and arranged as the basic development for his improvisation.
Conscious of the fact that there are domains in which he hasn’t yet achieved his
goal, he shows, none the less, an impulse to keep his music free through his compositions;
free of all constraints and allowing it to breathe, live and frolic to its fullest.
Master of his technique and having assimilated Jazz history and its musical traditions, he
knows that this music doesn’t belong to him. His only real objective
is to withdraw and let it express itself and, in doing so, communicate different messages
while answering to the call of the gift.
Having pointed this out, it’s easier to understand the freedom of form of his
compositions. Sometimes a theme of 32 bars, another of 4 bars or yet another one of 2
bars, bridge, coda, repeat, introduction, tonality and modulation are not obligatorily
started, nor necessarily announced or interpreted, but one always finds this discourse
developing as the bars are played, becoming more and more intense as the other musicians
join in; and the last note, turning us into dreamers filled with wonder. And if all this
were true?
Concerned with using his talent as well as possible, he believes neither in violent music
that unleashes passions nor in political music. Art is, and should be, a spiritual and
divine language which allows man to catch a glimpse of his future through “the
flicking of curtains”, and consequently, must transmit it wisely.
Art and the Divine are only one, still it’s necessary to be able to rise above all
false truths…
Jazz, the true heartfelt cry, cannot exist without a work of individuality. To bring out
its originality within one’s own music requires maturity and courage. Courage to
remain true to oneself, whatever the fashionable style may be; courage of one’s
convictions to achieve an inner unity which will keep the creative source from drying up.
For such messages, when he started, Frédéric Paul felt the immediate need to surround
himself with artists (Eddie Gomez, Danny Gottlieb) who, if I may say so, don’t have
anything to prove musically. Each of the musicians knew the real motivations of this
recording and immediately agreed to take part in it. Although Frédéric Paul had already
recorded a duo with Eddie Gomez, the double bass player, it would appear that he is able
to adapt the musicians to the evolution of his music.
Surrounding himself with such accompanists allows him to concentrate more easily on his
message, knowing that wherever he may go they will always be present without interfering
with his technique. Evidently, Frédéric Paul allows them to express themselves freely
through splendid interventions while respecting their status as leader.
His music is beautiful, deep and its aestheticism is a question of taste. Any additional
definition would be inevitably restrictive and castrating. Jazz is felt and any
explanation would be amputating it’s essence and consequently, short-circuiting the
artist’s message.
It’s well known that we all perceive phenomena linked to spiritual evolution
differently, but each of us can, and should, see and hear through an art form. Frédéric
Paul’s music lends itself easily to spiritual vision and allows the dream to feed on
images, sensations and emotions.
To finish, I would like to quote James Bronson Jr., Grammy Award winner of best Jazz
artist producer by Down-Beat Magazine:
“Whether Frédéric Paul Lallet is playing the piano or the saxophone, it
doesn’t make a difference. His marvelous, unique music is in the groove and his
musical ease is at its peak.
Frédéric Paul has something that puts him above the other musicians of his generation
and is a unique sound; much like in the sixties when John Coltrane came up with a unique
sound later called “Sheets of sounds”.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Frédéric Paul is an innovator.”
J. Giovannai
Jazz Producteur
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FFeat. Brett Deubner