Henri Salvador

Henri Makes A Diamond Comeback

Paris 

28/06/2002 - 

It was champagne all round in the gardens of the Musée de la Vie romantique in Paris last night when France's veteran crooner Henri Salvador stepped up on stage to receive his first diamond disc (after selling 1.5 million copies of his latest album Chambre avec vue). RFI/Musique decided it was time to meet up with the 84-year-old star and, coinciding with the release of the American version of his album, Room With A View, we interviewed the recently-married grandfather who, it appears, is flavour of the moment with young French musicians.
Our reporter Myriem Wong met the French crooner the night before his show at legendary New York jazz club, The Blue Note, with his lifelong friend, Quincy Jones. And in our interview the exuberant Monsieur Salvador waxes lyrical on music, seduction and the art of being lazy!

After a lengthy conversation with Salvador's manager, Charly Marouani, I'm finally about to hook up with my old friend Henri at the HQ of the record label Blue Note on 23rd Street. The effusive crooner walks into the room, greeting me with a “Ah, it's my French cousin! Henri's certainly got a good memory - last time we met was back in 1982 and he claimed I was his “favourite princess” at the time. After much exclaiming and hand-kissing, we settle down for an in-depth chat - but not before Henri has remembered how much he loves my knees! Between fits of convulsive laughter and general merriment, the singer famous for the classic Faut rigoler (You've Got to Laugh!) puts his philosophy into practice.

RFI/Musique: So, Henri, what brings you to this side of the Atlantic?
Henri Salvador: Well, I'm on the Blue Note label now aren't I? And they couldn't find anything better to do with themselves than bring out my new album… (Henri breaks out into a laughing fit two minutes into the interview). So, have you listened to the album? What do you think of it?

It's a bit different from the French version. How did you go about choosing which songs would feature on it?
It was quite simple really – people tell me what to do and I do it! It's no more complicated than that! They're clamouring for the new album all over the world. First of all, it was the Brazilians who wanted Jardin d’hiver – so I recorded it in Portuguese and off it went! Then I had to record another version in Italian. Then someone got on the phone and started saying there had to be an English version for London, so back we went to the studio – and wham! bam! The English version was in the bag! You know how it is with big record companies like Virgin and EMI. They don't mess around! They know exactly what they're doing when it comes to marketing! Anyway, the album ended up going off to America and, to cut a long story short, everyone loved it! So the American label turned round and said, "OK, we'll release the album over here on one condition – that Salvador comes out here and does a tour!"
I'm going crazy with the whole thing because I'm not really into the idea of working that much... I mean, I'm OK with the idea as long as I can work at my own rhythm – two shows a week is enough for me! But the Americans are complete workaholics. They never stop!… I'm too old to go out and work non-stop. Anyway, the idea is I'm meant to do a couple of shows at the Rainbow Room and the Hollywood Ballroom – and if that works we do the whole of America! (Another resounding laugh!) I can't say I particularly feel like touring all over the States though. Generally when I get the first whiff of spring I drop everything I'm doing and relax!

Well, I guess you could always slip a set of pétanque balls into your suitcase…
Oh no, no way! (Henri pouts his lips in disgust) They don't have the first idea of pétanque in America! It's definitely no use getting out my pétanque set here! Pétanque's all about France and Belgium… Although, actually, I recently found out that the country with the most pétanque players in the world is Brazil… So don't worry, I'll definitely be packing my pétanque balls for Brazil!

When you started work on your latest album did you ever imagine for one moment that things would take off to this extent?
No, honestly, not for a moment! One thing's for sure though, when we went into the studio we knew we wanted to do something really good and enjoy what we were doing. And it just happened to strike a chord with everyone! When the album came the public absolutely leapt on it, like this was the sort of album they'd been waiting for! It just exploded overnight – and the result of all that is now I'm back out on the road again touring! I've found this really brilliant producer, Thierry Suc, who's put together a 'made-to-measure' tour for me. I've signed up for 70 galas with two shows a week - one on Fridays, one on Sundays!

And what about the rest of the time? What will you be doing then?
NOTHING! (Laughs) What I like doing best is nothing at all!

What do you think would have become of you if you hadn't discovered jazz at some point…
Oh, there's no doubt about it. I'd have been a complete nonentity! My father wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer, you know. Frankly it would have been a disaster! If I'd been a doctor there'd have been a death boom and if I'd been a lawyer I'd have lost every single one of my cases! So it's all been a bit of a lucky accident really. My life's a constant improvisation! But that's rather wonderful, don't you think? (Another big belly laugh!)

Have you always had this habit for sitting back and laughing about everything?
Yep! (Laughs) But it's funny, you know, when I sing Avec le temps in France there's not a dry eye in the house. Everyone's weeping away by the time I've finished!… But then I suppose that's not surprising really – it's such a powerful song! Ferré was really someone, wasn't he? I have to admit though sometimes I get carried away myself… And I'll definitely be singing Avec le temps when I tour the States because American music fans don't know the song at all – and that's a shame!

Of course, we all know it was Sinatra and Nat King Cole who…
OK, stop right there! You've understood everything, princess!… That's the base of everything! As far as I'm concerned nobody has ever been able to top what those two did! They were completely incredible… The amazing thing about Nat King Cole was that he didn't just have this velvety-smooth voice, but he was also one hell of a swinger! Sinatra had a hell of a voice too, but he was a real storyteller too – and, let's not forget, that's what singing's all about, darlin'! There's no doubt about it, Sinatra and Nat King Cole were the two biggest geniuses I ever heard in my life! What's more, those guys really lived in the best era too – they had the best songwriters and the best orchestras working for them and what more could you ask than that? Basically, they were two lucky old devils! There's no way any contemporary singer could ever match up to that, they're just not in the same class!

What do you think French music's got that American music hasn't?
Ah now that's a very, very good question… You know, when Americans want to do something in France they always end up asking a French musician to write the music for them… But one thing Americans have that we absolutely don't is all those fabulous arrangers. They've really got arranging in the blood, you know, it really is their thing! You know what would be wonderful – but pretty difficult to do in reality – would be to have French songs arranged by Americans. Believe me, if you could pull something like that off, you'd have something which sounded brilliant! Look at the brilliant way the Americans arranged the Henri Betti classic C'est si bon. They really found the right tempo and laid the melody over it – which was a French melody to begin with. Personally, though, if I wanted to do really wonderful songs with beautiful French lyrics I wouldn't hire an American arranger – simply because he wouldn't pick up on all the subtleties of the French language! My own arrangements are courtesy of a young French man by the name of Bernard Arcadio, who also happens to be my pianist. He really has a feel for the lyrics of my songs and with his arrangements when I sing I'm never cramped by the orchestra. And believe me, that's a particularly French gift! By the way did you know that the most frequently performed French composer in the whole world is Ravel? It's a disgrace! Ravel's been plagiarised by the whole of Hollywood!

Which musician would you most like to share – or have actually shared – a major jazz experience with?
No doubt about the answer to that question: Quincy Jones! I sang with him when he conducted Count Basie's band at the Montreux Festival. And I can tell you that was the greatest moment of my life! I really felt something on stage that night although I couldn't really put the feeling into words… Those musicians can really play together. There's a great groove and they really put their heart into what they do. And they can read music better than anyone else I know! That was really the big emotional high of my life, you know. Believe me, having an orchestra like that behind you is really serious stuff! (Henri looks as if he's about to cry for a moment – and then lets out a big bellylaugh instead!)

Does the success you're currently enjoying – especially at your age – ever make you feel like starting things up again?
No! But then again I've never been the kind of person who gets things going in the first place, things just work by themselves! (Laughs). I just go with the flow! Before I used to work really hard at my career, but now I enjoy myself and have fun! I know my profession inside out after all my years in the business so when I say I want something I generally get it! I don't have to fight for everything now like I did when I was young. Before I was always having to fight to work with such and such an orchestra and get such and such a guy on the lighting… It was like I could never even have the microphone I wanted before… But that's all changed now. These days I say I want to work with such and such a mike and someone rushes up to give it to me! (Laughs). Don't you think that's great?

You've given fans 14 wonderful songs on your new album. Does that mean you've got hundreds more stashed away in a cupboard somewhere?
Yep, my house is crammed full of them! What happened with Jardin d'hiver was my producer got in touch and asked me if I felt like doing another album. And my response was, "Yeah, well I think I owe you that much!" But frankly I'd have been a lot better off keeping my mouth shut because now he's pulling out all the stops and I can wave goodbye to my afternoon siesta! As far as the next album's concerned, all I can say is it's going to be real solid good stuff. I'd like to carry on and do something in much the same musical vein as the last one though because I don't think you should change your style when people have found something they love! Do you remember (French chanson star) Lucienne Boyer? Someone like that could get away with singing wherever she wanted she had such a fantastic little voice! It sounds so typically French! And that's something we French have got that no-one else has got – we've got chanson and haute couture and the world's best perfumes and inventions. I mean look at Concorde – nobody else managed to come up with Concorde, did they? Not even the Yanks! (Laughs). There's no denying it, the French have a real talent!

And what if I said to you: "OK Henri, you've got to choose between your singing career or pétanque"?
Now that's a hell of a question! I could never choose between them – besides, I always manage to do both! I love playing pétanque because it's so relaxing, it's pure unadulterated pleasure! But you couldn't just take my singing career away from me like that. It's deeply rooted in my heart. No, really, that's one hell of a question!

But what about retirement? Do you think you'll ever get round to it one day?
But the thing is, my life's one permanent holiday really! As soon as we finish up here I'm off to have a little siesta and then I fly out to the Bahamas!… You know how it is, an interview, then a siesta… Isn't that what life's all about? You know, I think I must be the only guy in showbizz who took a 22-year break from music-hall to go off and play pétanque! It's terrible! I'm a real old lazybones! It's always the same with me – I believe in living first and working afterwards! I don't think you'll see any more like me when I'm gone, you know! (Another resounding laugh!)
There we are, I think I've said all there is to say – or nearly! Henri Salvador's quite a character, you know… Hang on a minute, don't move! (Henri suddenly leaps to his feet, rushes out of the room and comes back in with his wife). Let me introduce you to Mrs Salvador. I'll tell you one thing - if I ever outlive her, I'll marry you! (Henri cracks up laughing one last time).

Myriem  Wong

Translation : Julie  Street