Jazz feast with Jacky Terrasson at CRR

ISTANBUL

One of the most influential pianists of modern jazz since the 90s, French artist Jacky Terrasson, will take the stage at Istanbul’s Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall on April 19 with his trio, featuring Sylvain Romano in counter bass and Lukmil Perez on drums.

After living in New York for the past 30 years and later returning to his homeland France, the pianist will release his new album “Moving On” on April 19 via his own label, Earth Sounds.

Ahead of his concert, Terrasson replied to questions.

How would you introduce yourself to a young jazz music lover? Who is the real Jacky Terrasson?

I am a French American pianist, born in Berlin. I grew up in Paris, France until I moved to New York in 1990. I studied some classical music early on, I attended Berklee College of Music for one year and then decided I wanted to go straight into the professional aspect of it all.

How did you meet with the piano and become a pianist?

There always was a piano in the house, my father used to play classical music on his time off. I was attracted to the instrument at an early age, then it became part of my life. I guess if one spends a very long time at the piano, with the piano, in the piano, he or she somehow becomes a pianist.

What were the influences you remember listening to when you were little, and do you still listen to them today? What are the new/young artists you love to listen to in the jazz genre these days?

In my teenage years, as far as pianists go, it was mainly Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell and Bill Evans that caught my attention. Of course I listened to Miles Davis, John Coltrane. I loved any Jazz Messengers album. I loved to listen to Billy Holiday more than Ella Fitzgerald, whom I appreciated later. I was a Dexter Gordon fan, Cedar Walton was also a favorite…I still occasionally listen to all these musicians, but since then the list of favorites is much longer. I recently heard a young singer, Michael Mayo. I think he’s great.

Can you share some pivotal moments in your music career? What experiences have influenced and shaped you the most?

Signing with Blue Note Records, playing with amazing musicians, like Betty Carter, Cassandra Wilson, Art Taylor, Steve Grossman, Tony Williams, Barney Wilen and Charles Aznavour just to name a few. The latest one is creating my own record label.

What did you experience when you first came to Istanbul years ago? Do you have any memorable experiences from that time?

It was just so wonderfully different. I think the very first time I played in Istanbul, I was playing in Betty Carter’s band, so it must have been in 1994 or so. With Betty, we used to play almost every night on a different stage, so I imagine my first time here was a short stay. Istanbul is the kind of place I liked more and more every time I came back, especially when I came back for longer stays. The people were always very kind and friendly.

How do you feel about Turkish music? How does Turkish music make you feel, as a musician or as a listener?

To me it’s the music of the people. It has some folk, some soul, some “musique du monde” vibe. It’s spiritual, uplifting, but also meditative.

I always wonder how you select your bandmates; do you have a test song for this kind of elimination? And can you pick us a dream band you’d like to play with?

There is no elimination test or anything like that. It’s about finding common spaces where our creative minds can be. It’s about trust, generosity, humility, respect and more… The human factor is almost as important as the musical qualities one may have. On tour, we spend a lot of time together, not only on stage.

Your new album ‘Moving On’ will be out in April. What can you hint about it? How long did you work on it, can you tell us any details you’ve experienced during the recording process?

It’s really hard to say how much time I worked on it since I’m always thinking about a new sound, a different approach to a song or melody etc… This album features two singers, Camille Bertault and Kareen Guiock Thuram. They both have originality and character. I tend to go into recording 75 percent prepared and leave space for the unprepared, the unknown, the surprises. On this album, there are two drummers that were not supposed to be there. I wanted to record about half in France half in New York because it felt natural to include my friends and musicians from there.