Carolina Katún: TEOL

"Al silencio"

Release on Jazzland Record in october 2018

The first album by the Mexican-Swiss singer CarolinaKatún " Al Silencio" is an ode to silence.

The minimalist, crossover music is emphasized by a great variety of vocal sounds which revisit emblematic songs of the Latino American songbook.

Carolina Katún choreographs the words that illustrate her songs with a diaphanous supple gesture. She delivers them to us with gentleness and accompanies the message she wants to convey until our faces are bathed with joy, gratitude and melancholy as well which Carolina Katún has to offer are delicately chiseled songs, in which a virtuoso music intertwines with a deep and blissful poetry.

- G. Tondini

© Nicolas Moreaux

Carolina talks about "TEOL" and the album "AL SILENCIO"

TEOL is a creative band made up of some of Paris' top jazz musicians. They share a similar musical vision and appreciation for traditional forms of music, a deep friendship and a sensitivity for perfectly accompanying the voice that binds the group together.

" There are meeting places in the music planet that have nothing to do with chance. It happened to meet the double bass player Nicolas Moreaux in Montreux Jazz Festival, then the guitarist Pierre Perchaud and the drummer Arthur Alard. This is how TEOL was created two years ago. TEOL means "The spirit of the tree" in Maya. This tree whose pollination depends on the winds, speaks several languages, sings different sorts of musics. "

This band started playing together in 2016 mainly in Paris Jazz clubs. While interpreting and arranging, following the wishes of each musician, a collection of songs gradually emerged, mainly composed of latino American songs.).

" in Al Silencio", I was willing to tribute to some of the key songs that have impacted my life so far. This repertory is composed of a few of Latino American emblematic songs such as la ranchera mexicana "La llorona", and others which are more unknown, as precisely "Le tengo al silencio", an ode to silence...

Through pieces by Robert Wyatt or Purcell, the band opens up to other horizons such as pop of baroque music. The specific quality of the band is to make each piece their own in a common spirit, bringing new arrangements in great simplicity. The group's openmindeness Carolina Katún to fit in.

"It's an eclectic repertory that enables me to explore all that is vocally possible, to give tribute to all those who have influenced me : Mercedes Sosa, Chavela Vargas, Lila Downs, Bjork, Sisdel Endresen.. The band's attitude, which is to make an already existing repertory song into an original way their own, gave me the creativity I was looking for and enable me to achieve myself. "

My collaboration with Pierre Perchaud and Khadija Benouataf composer gave birth to 2 original compositions sung in French. One of them "Au fil de l'eau" will be made into a clip.

"I discovered the writing of a very dear friend who has been able to adequately transcript what Pierre's compositions meant for me. That song also gave birth to my collaboration with the producer Thibaut Ponce, who imagined a wonderful script for the video clip."

© Matthieu Ponchel

Thanks to the work of an exceptional soundman, his fine approach and understanding of the band's expectations, TEOL quickly found it way in the studio des Bruères in Poitiers.

"Tony Paeleman belongs of the same family of musicians met thanks to Nicolas Moreaux. The sound he has been able to bring was far beyond my expectations"

Another great encounter with a worldly known Jazz musicians will make us play together on a few pieces of this record.

" I happened to meet an incredible artist and so beautiful person : The Norvegian pianist Bugge Wesseltoft, who accompanies us on a few pieces of this album, and the truth is, that he loved our music so much that he suggested me to produce the album on his label Jazzland Records."

"I'm deeply grateful to Bugge and the musicians for believing so much in this project. They have given me the energy I needed to find out the best existing ways to make this music live."

The musicians:

Nicolas Moreaux, (double bass) awarded in 2013 by the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles-Cros for his record "Fall Somewhere" on the Label Fresh Sound New Talent is well known for his gifted compositions and talented sideman

Pierre Perchaud (guitar) : Recognized as one of the best French Jazzmen, nominated by the Victoire du Jazz as "the artist of the year" in 2016. Pierre Perchaud develops a lyrical interpretation of his own.

Arthur Alard (drums) : strongly influenced by his playing African drums in his early childhood, Arthur Alard will go on with his career and will be rewarded the Price of Excelence at the CMDL. He's famous for his creativity and his crossover music style.

L'ALBUM :

1. Paloma Negra

2. Au fil de l'eau

3. El Curruchà

4. La Llorona

5. Sea Song

6. Automne

7. Alfonsina y el mar

8. Arenita Azul

9. Dos Cruces

10. When I am laid

11. Zamba de los humildes

12. Al silencio

13. Pajarillo verde

With :

Pierre Perchaud (cavaquino, bonjo, guitares folk, guitare électrique)

Nicolas Moreaux (contrebasse)

Arthur Alard (percussions et batterie)

Bugge Wesseltoft : Piano (2), Accordion (6)

Julien Pontvianne : Tenor saxophone (11)

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Tony Paelman at the Studio des Bruères in Poitiers.

© Isabel Nao

Carolina Katún / First Album