To start the year on a good note, the Saint-Genès church in Thiers is hosting a free New Year’s concert on Sunday January 1 at 6 p.m. On the program: soul and gospel songs sung by Fabienne Della-Moniqua, accompanied by the trio Big Stuff. Davy Sladek, his baritone saxophonist, reveals the underside of the event in partnership with the Concerts de Vollore association.
What is the concert program?
It will be a warm moment. Our instruments lead us to a soul and gospel repertoire. We do not enter into the spiritual side of this style, but we go towards tradition, thanks to the Hammond organ by Emmanuel Beer. We are open to other cultures, that of black-American music, here.
There will be songs sung by Fabienne Della Moniqua, whom I have known for a long time, great standards, like A natural woman by Aretha Franklin, I say a little prayer surely, and great gospel standards like amazing Grace. We will also have exclusively instrumental pieces, with Mo’ Better Blues by Terence Blanchard, extract from the eponymous film by Spike Lee. It’s a gospel reference.
We will try to find the balance between melancholic and festive moments. We can listen to a beautiful melody, with a groove that follows and calls for dancing.
How is the preparation going?
As we will be playing in a church, we will especially have to pay attention to the acoustics. Even if the place is full, there will be reverberation. We will focus on a groove repertoire, medium in terms of tempo, not fast tempo, to be able to play drums, baritone saxophone and organ in a group, and make Fabienne Della-Moniqua’s voice heard. .
“This sweetness to bring to people”
Bruno Chanel, artistic director of the Concerts de Vollore, had this idea of working around his timbre. And this artist masters the gospel, soul and swing repertoire.
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How did you come together as a group?
Basically, I played in a group with Emmanuel Beer in particular, and in another with drummer Marc Verne, among others. I made the connection between the two and Big Stuff was born in 2013.
Where does your band name come from?
It comes from Emmanuel Beer, who plays the Hammond organ in our trio. His instrument is quite imposing, hence big stuff. The group remains centered on its organ.
The essentials of the cultural season in Thiers and its surroundings
How would you define your style?
Thanks to our great jazz banner, but also gospel, swing, we take this freedom to improvise in terms of rhythms, work on dance.
What do you want for this concert?
We are looking for simplicity, the exchange with the public thanks to easy listening pieces. We will all have feasted the day before, we will have to put ourselves in the right conditions to start 2023.
The public will decide to start the year with you. Is it symbolic?
Yes, there will be this sweetness, this poetry to bring to people in order to approach 2023 with warmth.
Interview by Janna Beghri
Music – Gospel and soul will resonate for the traditional New Year’s concert in Thiers