covers, arrangements
I used to record my own titles before growing an interest for other repertoires. Also, some of my records offer re-readings of songs that have influenced me, often from British pop music.
MELODY MAKERS
• Walking on the moon / Police (2009)
Unlike the next one, the Melody Makers trio’s first album only featured covers of “pop-rock standards”. This version of the Police tube has a very reharmonized A and B!
• I want to vanish / Elvis Costello (2009)
No particular reharmonization on the other hand on this magnificent ballad of Costello. Just a work of adaptation to the guitar to follow the cello solo with open triads in the bass. And very happy with my solo on the record that I admit I almost wrote.
• Knights in shining karma / XTC (2009)
Few reharmos also here but a rather melody chord approach (fingers + pick) to play both the melody, and the harmonic grid which is sophisticated enough for pop. I have always considered this group to be among the best descendants of the Beatles. You will find here my handwritten guitar part.
phileas band
• Au gré des ondes / Henri Dutilleux (2000)
One day by chance I came across this little piece by the French composer Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013), the first bars of which I loved and adapted to the guitar. Then I imagined the rest and the grid to improvise on it. A very nice ballad.
• Sleep Dirt / Frank Zappa (2000)
One of the few intimate Zappa songs on acoustic guitar. I recorded it here with accordionist Marc Berthoumieux. The entire grid is based on the constant use of the D open string. In Melody Makers 2, I wrote a sequel (Sweet sleep) which this time rests on the G open string.
NEW TRIO
• Le petit oiseau de Marrakech / Nougaro-Goyone
An exception among my “british pop” covers. I started from this motif in 5/8 of the pianist Daniel Goyone that I liked. I remain quite close to Nougaro’s phrasing for the A/B sections, while adapting it to the guitar. Then I imagined this third section that goes somewhere else. I like to start from foundations that I like, then rebuild in my own way.
abus dangereux
• West Side Story / Leonard Bernstein (1986)
This work was my first “cover” on disc. I arranged excerpts from it on the whole B side of the album “Jazz’n’roll”. This is the score of the title “America”. Reharmonization in triads on bass for the main theme of the A and wild walking for the B (chromatic movements of thirteenth chords a little in the spirit of the “big band”)