Élancourt – With Alex Jaffray, music is elaborated on in humorous ways

Alex’s voice. This is the title of Alex Jaffray’s show, currently on tour, which will play on January 28 at 8:30 p.m., at Prism, in Élancourt. The composer’s first performance, which talks about music and analyzes song lyrics with humor. The show that was born in 2019, when he already wrote a column on the Télématin program in France 2. “Alex’s Sound long version on stage […] using his interventionist tone, mixing anecdotes, bad faith, good humor, parts of his life and most importantly music,” said the show’s press release.

The event born after the TedX conference

The show’s initial roots in the composer’s participation…in the TedX conference, says Alex Jaffray, contacted by La Gazette: “I was offered to do a TedX conference a few years ago, and I said yes. I thought it was five minutes to talk, and I realized actually it was 20 minutes. 20 minutes to talk about music is a bit of work. So I came up with the idea to use the sampler to play lots of different extracts of music, and not just plug it into the piano. That was the start of the adventure, because after that, I found a producer who told me we might be able to make a show out of it. »

He, composer of film scores, pub or even television show credits, then turns to the sole on stage to convey his love of music. “I’ve never done that, I believe that you have the show and you play it,” he confessed. Unless it has evolved, it must be the 6th or 7th version. This is the principle of live performance, you write something that makes you laugh in your office, and when you play it, the thing that makes you laugh is not that thing, but the thing before or after. “After the first show in Paris, he was slowed down, like all artists, by the health crisis, before continuing “very strongly after that, almost everywhere full”, he assures.

The public was quickly attracted by this show that made it possible to cultivate while laughing heartily. “I’m lucky to write music, it’s my job,” said Alex Jaffray. To avoid “I like it, I don’t like it,” I’ve spent 20 years explaining why this music, why this note, why responding to this feeling or that, this or that value. And then, I realized that it attracts people, that it’s a great axis to talk about music. We all have songs we like, etc., but we don’t always know how to do them. Without taking a musicology course that would piss everyone off, the idea is to listen to music you’ve never heard before. This is not a conference, but a show where people laugh. You have fun and learn many things at the same time. »

Thus, we know, from the event’s teaser video, that the Rolling Stones, “if we add up their ages”, are 294 years old, while the Eiffel Tower is 130 years old, and have performed 2,470 concerts. Using his faithful sampler, Alex Jaffray also isolates sections of the song, which he breaks down under bursts of laughter from the crowd, whose love of music dates back to childhood. “I grew up with my grandparents in Val-d’Oise, and there were three records, he recalls. There’s a steam engine sound effect recording […], a recording of classical music twisted around, so it’s quite funny to listen to, and a recording of Ennio Morricone. I heard it when I was little and I said to myself: ”I want to do this, it fascinates me”. »

“I love the idea that the show is born and dies on the stage. »

So he made it his job and it’s a hit today on stage. While cautioning that his first gig might as well be his last: “It’s not my job (he still continues his activity as a composer in parallel, Ed.), I had so much fun doing it, but I think the beauty of the movement may be that it’s a one-time thing.” […] I have a date until 2024, another short operating year, and after that it will end. I love the idea that the show is born and dies on stage. However, she didn’t rule out her change of heart, but if she didn’t, it provides an even better reason to go and find her on stage. Additionally, as pointed out in the show’s press release, Le son d’Alex is “1/3 music, 1/3 valve, and 1/3 ‘you gotta come and see it'” . It only exists, therefore. For his visit to Élancourt, ticket prices range from 8 to 20 euros, reservation at kiosq.sqy. Fr.

PHOTO CREDIT : Stephane_Kerrad