Pianist, singer, composer… Julien Bruetaud is a person of many capabilities and high aesthetics. We talked to him on the occasion of his new album ‘Feels Like Home‘. Read our interview below.
Describe your sound in three words please!
Swinguy / Happy / Nuanced
Is piano improvisation a talent or a skill?
I think it more like a Skill to develop your talent !
You are currently working with covers from iconic tracks, such as Let It Be. What is the idea behind this project?
“Let it be” is the first song I learnt on piano, so it was with a sentimental flavour I did this reharmonization. Also I like to give new colour to some iconic tracks and might do more in the future.
Who is your favourite pianist? And which are your major music influences?
Only one I would say Otis Spann who gave me the inspiration to get involve into music improvisation. He is one of the best Chicago blues piano player from the fifties.
Jazz music as a genre has been accused as music for snobs. Is jazz music elitist?
It reminds me as well the phrase ” its an elevator music “. Jazz is suffering from lots of cliché due to its freedom and flexibility and mixity and variety. Jazz is moving all the time like humans and their cultures, with all their qualities and defaults. I think some people consider it “elitist” because lots of jazz music is hard to listen at a first approach, but if you dig deeper and listen jazz in his ensemble, you discover that it is also the birthplace of blues , funk, groove, Latin, traditional New Orleans, and this music is so easy and fun to listen. So I would finally answer NO, jazz if for everyone, and I think jazz is a treasure of wonderful human story.
Which book should we read while listening to your album?
“ask the dust” from John Fante, from the beat generation, always connected to jazz
What do you consider the biggest challenge in a piano trio to be (if any)?
There is now a huge history of Jazz Piano Trio, from Nat king cole to EST… so the biggest challenge in this format and in music in general is to bring somethin personal, somethin new, and try to get out of what has been done.
One last thing we should know about you?
Come and hear us LIVE especially if you go down to Marseille France, let’s stay connected.
Check the website julienbrunetaud.com or social media.
Thank you!!
Thanks Julien!
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