Yolk Records

"A few months after Denis's death, I received a message from Michel Gillot, vice-president of l'Arrosoir, a superb jazz club in Chalon-sur-Saône that had been part of the French scene for 50 years, but had been scuttled by an unscrupulous and inattentive municipality. I had left l'Arrosoir a few months earlier after a wonderful series of encounters in the form of intimate salons between Chalon residents and musicians around the act of improvisation. We were delighted by this wonderful adventure and these human exchanges that were as close as possible to our artistic and civic convictions. With Michel and the Arrosoir team, we shared a companion, a strong friendship and an inspiration: Denis Badault. When I open this e-mail in autumn 2023, L'Arrosoir has closed up store and Denis has left. I didn't see it coming; all that's left are memories that are still intense, and the frustration of not having said goodbye to either of them.In this message, Michel informs me of the existence of a live recording of Denis Badault at l'Arrosoir, recorded on a Sunday in November 2021. He suggests that I take a look at it and consider the possibility of publishing it on Yolk with the financial support resulting from the dissolution of their association. It was Médéric Roquesalane, director of l'Arrosoir and music enthusiast, who supervised a series of live performances to celebrate the arrival of the club's new grand piano. It's a rare, precious document in which we can hear Denis playing and talking. The Denis we knew, a gourmet pianist, his finesse and energy are there, as are his humor and mischief, and his exchanges with the audience are funny, sincere and extremely touching... as usual. "I'm a child of jazz, but at 18 it's good to get out of your parents' house" ... I've always heard him say that, and it's true that he sometimes loved to wander far from jazz, but we've always played standards with each other, at his house, at mine, at the sound check... so he always kept a note of his parents' house!
For some years now, he has been devoting himself to these solo concert programs, where he combines several titles in the same piece. Mostly standards, sometimes compositions, popular songs, and it's this "game" that you'll discover in this live album. Jean-Louis Pommier and I immediately decided to draw on our sadness to find the strength to publish and make available this magnificent concert, this sensitive trace of a great musician, our friend. Our heartfelt thanks to his family and close friends who encouraged and supported us. See you later, Denis."

Sebastien Boisseau

DO YOU PREFER BANDCAMP ?

• PRÉAMBULE - DENIS BADAULT
• IF I SHOULD LOOSE YOU / I HEAR A RHAPSODY (RAINGER/FRAGOS/BAKER/GASPARRE)
• 7 SEPTEMBER SONG (D. BADAULT)
• PRÉLUDE N°8 / VALENTINE (MOMPOU/HERSCH)
• I’LL BEE SEEING YOU / GIANT STEPS (FAIN/COLTRANE)
• A MUSSET (D. BADAULT)
• EASY TO LOVE / TO CLOSE FOR COMFORT (PORTER/BOCK)
• BARBARA SONG (D. BADAULT)
• SOLAR IS BLUE IN GREEN DOLPHIN STREET (DAVIS/EVANS/KAPER)
• FALLING GRACE / STELLA BY STARLIGHT (SWALLOW/YOUNG)
• PÉNÉLOPE / OVER THE RAINBOW (BRASSENS/ARLEN)

Live à L'Arrosoir le 21 novembre 2021, Chalon-sur-Saône
Recording and mixing : Léo Aubry
Mastering : Nicolas Baillard, studio La Buissonne
Equipe de production : Juliette Ailhaud, Delphine Cortot, Sidonie Dubosc & Médéric Roquesalane
Live réalisé par Médéric Roquesalane, L’Arrosoir Scène Jazz & musique de traverse 2021

Production under the artistic direction of Sébastien Boisseau and Jean-Louis Pommier

Trio Bado >> live