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Album review
Charles Aznavour
Je voyage (Travelling)
Paris
19/12/2003 -
In many ways Charles Aznavour is like those old Gothic cathedrals that you visit a hundred times but always find something new to admire. Catch your reflection in those eyes, which gleam as dark and intense as ever; follow the soaring spire of those vocals as they rise to dizzying heights or simply pause for wonder as you look on those finely-crafted musical miniatures produced by a past master of French chanson. Aznavour is the last of the great French music heroes, who like Maurice Chevalier and Yves Montand in their day, is loved and applauded everywhere from Las Vegas and Moscow to the Armenian capital Yerevan.
Aznavour is currently back in the music news with a new album – could be his 100th, could be his first, it makes no difference because what rapidly becomes evident listening to Je voyage is that the famous Aznavour charm is still firmly intact. There was a time when young Charles was dismissed as a secretary/protégé of Piaf's, an overlooked half in a songwriting partnership with 'chanson' composer Pierre Roche. There was a time when, mocked for his diminutive stature and his hangdog looks, you wouldn't have bet heavily on his future! But through years of trial, error and sheer perseverance Aznavour has managed to swing his career around and come out on top, establishing himself as a top-selling French star with an impressively long track record. And his new album, Je voyage, proves the sheer extent of his singing and songwriting talent.
The album, which features contributions from top French pianist Yvan Cassar (famous for his recent work with Claude Nougaro and Johnny Hallyday) finds Aznavour skipping from fado (Lisboa) to swing with the crème de la crème of the Paris jazz scene (Nicolas Giraud, Benoît Sourisse and Florin Niculescu) on Quelqu'un de different. Classical strings also get a look in on Je n'entends rien, a witty song about the problems of going deaf in old age – a supremely ironic reflection from a singer fast approaching his 80th birthday. Aznavour also lets his wit run wild on La Critique (a song whose chorus echoes with reminiscences of La Bohème), launching an attack on the misplaced vanity of music critics and paying homage to the only judge that counts: the public. Half a century on it's obvious that the dent the critics once made in Aznavour's pride is still there – even if the singer does have the grace to laugh about old wounds now!
Je voyage pays equal tribute to current loves (On s'éveille à la vie), past conquests (Dans le feu de mon âme) and aspirations to discover the world (Il y a des trains). On the latter Aznavour, the son of a Georgian father and Armenian mother, takes inspiration from the late Compay Segundo, tripping out a salsa melody which could have come straight from Trinidad station (where the local Cuban population regularly while away the hours between trains with improvised jam sessions on guitar and congas). Morna, saudade, salsa – nothing appears to intimidate Aznavour, the musical nomad! Not even the risk of being criticised for having recorded a duet with his 30-year-old daughter, Katia, on the album's title track. Admittedly, this may not be the best track on the album but fans will undoubtedly appreciate hearing Aznavour sing with his offspring. Don't get any ideas about Aznavour senior handing over the reins to Aznavour junior, though. Judging by the quality of this latest offering and the publication of his autobiography Le temps des avants, retirement is still a long way off for France's favourite octogenarian!
Charles Aznavour Je voyage (Capitol) 2003
Frédéric Garat
Translation : Julie Street
28/12/2009 -
10/12/2008 -
05/03/2007 -
20/10/2000 -
10/11/1999 -
