Violette
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Violette

New York City, New York, United States | SELF

New York City, New York, United States | SELF
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"Violette Has Joie De Vivre"

There is something about French music, starting with classical, that sets it apart. The sensational use of woodwinds and brass. Highly original melodies. It is not derivative, it is revolutionary. French popular songwriters of the 20th century could never escape their musical heritage. Influences of compatriot musical geniuses often colored their chansons.

We are living in a new century and new age where little craft is found in anything. The odd illusion among modern musicians is that there's little time for it. Recording sessions are more akin to highly controlled and charted jam sessions. Getting a product out may be more important than the product itself.

Violette de Bartillat's new album, "Joie de Vivre," pays homage to the French tradition, to American jazz, and Afro-Cuban rhythms, and to things blue and bluesy; and yet it emerges as a new, fresh, and original musical testament. There is not just attention to detail. Detail permeates the opus. It is a thoughtful, soulful, loving aesthetic.

As French cuisine pleases the senses; as French music exploits the full orchestra for exotic flavors; and as French film exposes, plays with, pokes fun at, and probes our humanity and the human condition, Violette's idiom is French in every such way—and then American, African, Latin, and jazzy at its core.

"Joie de Vivre" is at once driving, confident, masterful, powerful, uplifting, inspirational, uncommon. and extraordinary. Simultaneously it is nurturing, tender, genuine, guiding, spiritual, honest, and healing. It is good music and wise music, not the standard-issue, bad-ass, flippant, insouciant, vulgar, and virtually artless music that's just about the lay of the musical land in a shattered, disillusioned world.

Violette's songs are artistic and thoughtful. Haste was never an ingredient. Au contraire, patience and discipline and high craft and architecture; outstanding arrangements; dramatic depth; and the generous, genuine, unbridled giving of the heart define this new body of work. We are fortunate heirs to that effort.
- Robert V Guarente


"Simple Is Beautiful"

The second half of the 20th century experienced a trend in the jazz/contemporary music scene. Young musicians from all over the world would study for one or more years in Boston at the Berklee College of Music, before moving to New York and making a name for themselves in the Big Apple. While this trend has continued in the first two decades of the new century, the musical background and output of these musicians has changed to keep pace with the modern music industry. While Berklee students used to lean more towards traditional and modern jazz styles, these days, those same students are blending pop, rock and other genres with improvisation and jazz harmonic flavors, the result being a new approach to the contemporary jazz style, one that is gaining popularity on the East Coast and beyond. One of the newest, and most exciting, artists to make the move from Berklee to New York is Violette, and her latest album Simple is Beautiful is a testament to her love of pop and jazz, bringing the two together on an entertaining and engaging vocal record that will appeal to fans of both genres.



Singing in both English and French, as in the song “Insomnie,” Violette draws from many different influences in her writing and singing, while sticking close to the pop-jazz vein, with a touch of R&B thrown in from time to time for good measure. One of the things that is consistent, and can be found in “Insomnie” as well as “All I Need,” is her powerful use of vocal harmonies at important moments during a song’s development. In the latter, she uses multi-part vocal harmonies to lead into and during the chorus. These harmonies help the chorus stand out melodically from the verse and bridge sections of the song, and are creatively arranged and expertly performed.



Though the majority, eleven of twelve tracks, were written and arranged by Violette and her writing partner Rich Mendelson, there is one cover, Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose.” The song starts out slow, before moving into a Latin feel, being led by acoustic guitar chords and a driving snare beat played with brushes. It may seem cliché for a French singer to perform Piaf’s classic tune, but the fresh arrangement keeps things new and justifies its inclusion on the record. As well, the soprano sax solo by Ami Nakazono is perfectly fit into the song’s feel and groove. It would have been easy for the saxophonist to rip up and down the instrument on such an easy harmonic progression. But, Nakazono shows restraint and musical maturity in her melodic-based solo, making it one of the album’s strongest instrumental highlights.



As well as being able to sing an up tempo pop song, Violette showcases her musicality with the duo ballad “Miss Your Company.” Played with piano as her accompaniment for most of the song, with some string pads inserted during the instrumental sections to provide a harmonic foundation for the piano, the song is one of the most emotionally strong on the record. Singing throughout her vocal range, Violette uses her vocal timbre to accentuate notes and words during each phrase of the tune. It takes a special type of singer to sing a ballad such as this and make it both emotional and musical at the same time. Violette pulls both off with ease.



Simple is Beautiful is a strong release for the young vocalist, from both a songwriting and performance standpoint. Each song is expertly arranged and performed at the highest level, providing a glimpse into the artistic output of this talented musician and her ensemble.



- Review by Matthew Warnock


"Simple Is Beautiful"

The second half of the 20th century experienced a trend in the jazz/contemporary music scene. Young musicians from all over the world would study for one or more years in Boston at the Berklee College of Music, before moving to New York and making a name for themselves in the Big Apple. While this trend has continued in the first two decades of the new century, the musical background and output of these musicians has changed to keep pace with the modern music industry. While Berklee students used to lean more towards traditional and modern jazz styles, these days, those same students are blending pop, rock and other genres with improvisation and jazz harmonic flavors, the result being a new approach to the contemporary jazz style, one that is gaining popularity on the East Coast and beyond. One of the newest, and most exciting, artists to make the move from Berklee to New York is Violette, and her latest album Simple is Beautiful is a testament to her love of pop and jazz, bringing the two together on an entertaining and engaging vocal record that will appeal to fans of both genres.



Singing in both English and French, as in the song “Insomnie,” Violette draws from many different influences in her writing and singing, while sticking close to the pop-jazz vein, with a touch of R&B thrown in from time to time for good measure. One of the things that is consistent, and can be found in “Insomnie” as well as “All I Need,” is her powerful use of vocal harmonies at important moments during a song’s development. In the latter, she uses multi-part vocal harmonies to lead into and during the chorus. These harmonies help the chorus stand out melodically from the verse and bridge sections of the song, and are creatively arranged and expertly performed.



Though the majority, eleven of twelve tracks, were written and arranged by Violette and her writing partner Rich Mendelson, there is one cover, Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose.” The song starts out slow, before moving into a Latin feel, being led by acoustic guitar chords and a driving snare beat played with brushes. It may seem cliché for a French singer to perform Piaf’s classic tune, but the fresh arrangement keeps things new and justifies its inclusion on the record. As well, the soprano sax solo by Ami Nakazono is perfectly fit into the song’s feel and groove. It would have been easy for the saxophonist to rip up and down the instrument on such an easy harmonic progression. But, Nakazono shows restraint and musical maturity in her melodic-based solo, making it one of the album’s strongest instrumental highlights.



As well as being able to sing an up tempo pop song, Violette showcases her musicality with the duo ballad “Miss Your Company.” Played with piano as her accompaniment for most of the song, with some string pads inserted during the instrumental sections to provide a harmonic foundation for the piano, the song is one of the most emotionally strong on the record. Singing throughout her vocal range, Violette uses her vocal timbre to accentuate notes and words during each phrase of the tune. It takes a special type of singer to sing a ballad such as this and make it both emotional and musical at the same time. Violette pulls both off with ease.



Simple is Beautiful is a strong release for the young vocalist, from both a songwriting and performance standpoint. Each song is expertly arranged and performed at the highest level, providing a glimpse into the artistic output of this talented musician and her ensemble.



- Review by Matthew Warnock


"Simple Is Beautiful"

Violette is at once old and new world, this sultry European chanteuse who can slip

seamlessly into a Delta blues growl. That renders the French native singer-songwriter

difficult to categorize, but it makes for a thrilling journey through her third release,

Simple if Beautiful.



For instance, there’s the interesting amalgam of “Rocking with Angels” which lives up to

its title by building off a rockabilly riff and a sun-filled disposition. Violette sings with an

impressive range, moving from kitten-y intrigue to gutty brashness -- sometimes within

a single line, as on the initial chorus. The song has broader ambitions, though, eventually

transforming from its stripped-down beginnings into a string-bolstered anthem, complete

with a rollicking group of hooting back up vocalists.



“Silence in My Head” again begins with a more contemplative guitar figure, before a

sweeping accompaniment of strings returns. This time, Violette settles into a whispered

lyric that deftly conveys the cold quiet of a broken heart, completing a few smart turns of

phrase before leaping into a shattering high range through the song’s shattering chorus.

That sets the stage nicely for a sharply incisive turn on the electric guitar by Mark Doyle.

Ralph Rosen’s chugging turn on the harmonica underscores the gritty blues feel

of “Superwoman,” which finds Violette attacking the song’s lightly ironic braggadocio

with gusto. It’s one of the album’s best examples of her canny ability to meld styles, and

a tribute to her passion for African-American musical styles.



Originally a student of classical music, Violette’s musical landscape changed when she

heard the Verve duo recordings of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. A new passion

for jazz was born. She eventually moved to Boston to enroll in the Berklee College of

Music. This 12-song cycle follows Violette’s debut in 2009, called Innervoice, and last

year’s Joie de Vivre. She continues to perform on both sides of the Atlantic, all the while

taking in influences from both cultures. Check out “Sweet Soul Music,” which builds

outward from a reggae-inflected rhythm into a pew-rattling gospel shout. Violette is in

complete command of this shape-shifting project from the first, feeling free enough to

unfurl a cooing, impossibly high vocal scat that would have shamed Minnie Ripperton.



This album’s title track, with a tenderly impactful string arrangement by Mark Doyle,

balances those rumbling joys with its fragile plea for a return to the simple things in life.

Doyle also handled arrangements for “Rocking with Angels,” and “Don’t Make Me Beg”

-- a devastating admission of soul-deep need for another.



“Shinin’ Your Light” returns to the opener’s skipping mid-century rock vibe, allowing

Violette an opportunity to sing in a sultry, winking manner that recalls hit country

songstress Faith Hill. “All I Need,” on the other hand, plays like a mid-tempo smooth-

jazz number, with its light groove and a hooky chorus. “Insomnie,” sung in French,

sounds like its title -- a late-night lament, from its spacious rhythm, to its cascading



keyboards, to Violette’s thrumming exploration of the lower range of her voice.

Keyboardist Laderrick Perry Jr. moves to the fore in a pair of bonus tracks, first on “Miss

Your Company,” where Violette sings with a broken rawness. The similarly themed, and

musically constructed, album-closer “Need You Now” gathers itself in a more hopeful

way, as Perry’s playing -- more insistent, almost reassuring -- seems to bolster a still

grieving Violette. This time, though, there’s the sense that her love might return.



Violette wrote or co-wrote each of the songs, save for the cover of “La Vie En Rose.”

Her writing collaborator was the album’s principal mixer Rich Mendelson. Louis Cato

handles guitar, bass and drums on every track, save for “La Vie En Rose,” as well.

“Rose,” by the French legend Edith Piaf, is in its own way both a statement of purpose

for the emerging French singer – and a chance for Violette to separate herself from one

of her native country’s most famous exports. She does an admirable job on both counts,

beginning the tune with a familiar reverie, but then revving up into a shambling jazz beat

that gives her another chance to show off an impressive set of chops.



Again, just a wonderful example of her ability to mix and match styles.



- Review by Nick DeRiso


"Simple Is Beautiful"

Violette is at once old and new world, this sultry European chanteuse who can slip

seamlessly into a Delta blues growl. That renders the French native singer-songwriter

difficult to categorize, but it makes for a thrilling journey through her third release,

Simple if Beautiful.



For instance, there’s the interesting amalgam of “Rocking with Angels” which lives up to

its title by building off a rockabilly riff and a sun-filled disposition. Violette sings with an

impressive range, moving from kitten-y intrigue to gutty brashness -- sometimes within

a single line, as on the initial chorus. The song has broader ambitions, though, eventually

transforming from its stripped-down beginnings into a string-bolstered anthem, complete

with a rollicking group of hooting back up vocalists.



“Silence in My Head” again begins with a more contemplative guitar figure, before a

sweeping accompaniment of strings returns. This time, Violette settles into a whispered

lyric that deftly conveys the cold quiet of a broken heart, completing a few smart turns of

phrase before leaping into a shattering high range through the song’s shattering chorus.

That sets the stage nicely for a sharply incisive turn on the electric guitar by Mark Doyle.

Ralph Rosen’s chugging turn on the harmonica underscores the gritty blues feel

of “Superwoman,” which finds Violette attacking the song’s lightly ironic braggadocio

with gusto. It’s one of the album’s best examples of her canny ability to meld styles, and

a tribute to her passion for African-American musical styles.



Originally a student of classical music, Violette’s musical landscape changed when she

heard the Verve duo recordings of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. A new passion

for jazz was born. She eventually moved to Boston to enroll in the Berklee College of

Music. This 12-song cycle follows Violette’s debut in 2009, called Innervoice, and last

year’s Joie de Vivre. She continues to perform on both sides of the Atlantic, all the while

taking in influences from both cultures. Check out “Sweet Soul Music,” which builds

outward from a reggae-inflected rhythm into a pew-rattling gospel shout. Violette is in

complete command of this shape-shifting project from the first, feeling free enough to

unfurl a cooing, impossibly high vocal scat that would have shamed Minnie Ripperton.



This album’s title track, with a tenderly impactful string arrangement by Mark Doyle,

balances those rumbling joys with its fragile plea for a return to the simple things in life.

Doyle also handled arrangements for “Rocking with Angels,” and “Don’t Make Me Beg”

-- a devastating admission of soul-deep need for another.



“Shinin’ Your Light” returns to the opener’s skipping mid-century rock vibe, allowing

Violette an opportunity to sing in a sultry, winking manner that recalls hit country

songstress Faith Hill. “All I Need,” on the other hand, plays like a mid-tempo smooth-

jazz number, with its light groove and a hooky chorus. “Insomnie,” sung in French,

sounds like its title -- a late-night lament, from its spacious rhythm, to its cascading



keyboards, to Violette’s thrumming exploration of the lower range of her voice.

Keyboardist Laderrick Perry Jr. moves to the fore in a pair of bonus tracks, first on “Miss

Your Company,” where Violette sings with a broken rawness. The similarly themed, and

musically constructed, album-closer “Need You Now” gathers itself in a more hopeful

way, as Perry’s playing -- more insistent, almost reassuring -- seems to bolster a still

grieving Violette. This time, though, there’s the sense that her love might return.



Violette wrote or co-wrote each of the songs, save for the cover of “La Vie En Rose.”

Her writing collaborator was the album’s principal mixer Rich Mendelson. Louis Cato

handles guitar, bass and drums on every track, save for “La Vie En Rose,” as well.

“Rose,” by the French legend Edith Piaf, is in its own way both a statement of purpose

for the emerging French singer – and a chance for Violette to separate herself from one

of her native country’s most famous exports. She does an admirable job on both counts,

beginning the tune with a familiar reverie, but then revving up into a shambling jazz beat

that gives her another chance to show off an impressive set of chops.



Again, just a wonderful example of her ability to mix and match styles.



- Review by Nick DeRiso


Discography

Simple Is Beautiful (2011)
Joie de Vivre (2010)
Innervoice (2009)

Radio airplay in France (FIP), Japan, Switzerland (Swiss Pop Radio), US (WHRB..)

Photos

Bio

At the early age of 25, French native singer-songwriter Violette shares her passion for the Afro-American music and culture. Her warm and inviting voice, tinged with the diverse influences of Pop, Jazz & Rock immerses you in the heart of a genuine emotional experience.
Find Violette on her website : www.violettemusic.com

PAST APPEARANCES

CLUBS
Le Sunside, Paris
Le Baiser Sale´, Paris
La Sce`ne Bastille, Paris
The Iridium Jazz Club, New York
Rockwood Music Hall, New York
Drom, New York
The Living Room, New York
The Beer Garden, New York
Scullers, Boston
Les Zygomates, Boston
The Beehive, Boston
Berklee Performance Center
Cafe 939, Boston
House of Jazz, Montreal
Upstairs Jazz, Montreal

DISCOGRAPHY
Innervoice (2009)

FESTIVALS
Marblehead Jazz Festivals Crest Jazz Vocal
Jazz a` Vannes
Violons croise´s
Jazz a` Sete
Boston Jazz Festival Make Music Cambridge

AWARDS
ISSA
Song of the Year
Billboard World Song Contest
Les Vignes d’Or

LICENSING
Vague a l’ame featured on cosmetic brand Bebe Poshe promotional video