“Into the old pool / a frog jumped / a frog,” reads perhaps the most famous poem by an author named Matsuo Bashó, a Japanese classic of the form called haiku. The hundred-year-old triptych admits of countless interpretations, from a kind of suppression of personal feelings in favor of nature to the uncovering of subconscious connections in the head that go beyond logical thinking, spread like circles on the surface and instantly disappear again.
Played by Cécile McLorin Salvant, it also works literally.The 36-year-old winner of three Grammy awards has mainly sung jazz until now.However, this Wednesday in the large hall of Prague’s Lucerna, she sits down at the keyboard at one point and when she sings Bašó set to music, the drummer plays her a disco dance beat from his laptop. The wide hall, where people are sitting, some in suits or evening dresses, makes a noise similar to when a frog with a sudden movement disturbs the calm surface of a pool.
Singer and songwriter Cécile McLorin Salvant framed her just-released eighth album Oh Snap with two songs quoting popular haiku. She also sang both at Wednesday’s concert, which culminated the 29th edition of the Prague Sounds festival, formerly known as Strings of Autumn.
During the hour and a half, modern jazz was played, as well as country-folk, chanson, the musical song The Trolley Song known by Judy Garland, experimental electronic music or a cover version of Sting’s pop waltz Until from the movie Kate and leopold. Pianist with dreadlocks Mathis Picard excelled on stage, alternating Yamaha grand piano with synthesizer, double bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Kyle Poole, also playing the so-called electronic drum pad with mallets.
But the singer with a short haircut attracted the most attention. On her nose she wore double-rimmed designer glasses,and on her head was a hand-knitted,lacy red cap with phosphorescent beads. The versatile artist sings, composes, paints, but also designs record covers or sews clothes.
Visitors to Wednesday’s concert will testify that Cécile McLorin Salvant also has acting talent. The stories contained in each song are accompanied by gestures and expressive facial expressions. For example, in the chanson Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent? with the words of the French surrealist Louis Aragon, who sang Léo Ferré in the 1960s, she theatrically spread her arms, retreated from the microphone and approached again.
Perfect French has an easy explanation. The singer was born in the American Miami to a French mother and a father from the Caribbean island of Haiti.She spoke French from childhood,moved to france as a teenager and studied law there in addition to singing after high school. It wasn’t until she won the prestigious Thelonia Monk International Jazz Competition at the age of twenty-one that she moved to the USA, where she lives now.
Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Genre-Bending Performance captivates
Cécile McLorin Salvant’s recent concert showcased a remarkable artistic vision, even if the setlist wasn’t always cohesive. While the performance wasn’t strictly jazz training, it wasn’t a jazz concert either. Tracks from her new album, like the electro-ballad “I am” and “Volcano,” draw comparisons to Icelandic artist Björk, while “Second Guessing” leans towards contemporary R&B. Only “Expanse,” a ballad composed during the pandemic warning against internet and phone addiction, “Anything But Now,” and “What Does Blue Mean to You” – a song inspired by Toni Morrison’s Beloved – retain a distinctly jazzy feel, albeit with modern arrangements.
Despite the broad genre exploration, Salvant’s vocal performance is mesmerizing. Her almost four-octave range, combined with a uniquely rich lower register and stunning high notes, commands attention. She phrases with precision, infuses her delivery with emotional depth, and utilizes a full dynamic range within each song.
Salvant’s tremendous charisma is underpinned by her complete control over every note, notably evident in her harmonically complex original compositions. Technically, she ranks among the most compelling jazz singers of the 21st century, alongside Esperanza Spalding, Nicole Zuraitis, and Samara Joy – even as she explores directions beyond traditional scat singing.