Michel Jonasz will be on the bill at the Gospel Touch festival, this evening Saturday, in Tournefeuille. The opportunity to find a singer who is still as loyal to Toulouse and the region.
The blues, he has it in his skin. Blues, blues, blues, he’s been singing for so many years. From blues to gospel, the bridge is biblically obvious and it is with a light heart that Michel Jonasz will cross it this Saturday, as part of the 10th edition of the Gospel Touch festival, with his faithful sidekick Jean-Yves D’Angelo , for a piano-voice concert. Emotion should show very, very high.
Gospel, blues, it’s in your musical DNA, right?
I always liked to sing that, I love this music. I like sacred songs, which have a history, a past and the blues, that’s exactly it. When I was a kid, I was very impressed by the songs in the synagogues. Later, I liked them in all the places of worship because they carry a spirituality, an unparalleled depth. The gospel is in essence a sacred song. I have never strayed from the blues, which is also featured on my latest album, “Chanter le blues”
Did you rework your songs for this gospel tribute?
A little, but not that much, to tell the truth: many of my songs have a rather bluesy rhythmic base which is well suited to the piano-voice formula. We are, with Jean-Yves, in “Season 4” of our two-person collaboration and we are still enjoying ourselves after more than 300 concerts! We will play excerpts from the album “La Méouge, le Rhône, la Durance”, which we made together last year and, of course, songs like “Joueurs de blues”, “Super Nana” or “La Boîte jazz” will have their place in this show. I am less sure about “Tell me”, or “Holidays by the water”, which people continue to ask me, however.
Does the piano-voice formula allow greater proximity with the public?
Yes, no doubt, especially in intimate moments. But when I play with my group, it sends and we feel carried by our energy and that of the public. In both cases, an energy is projected and returned to us by the public – that’s what makes the beauty of this job!
An audience that has been following you and loving you for a while…
It’s amazing. In Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Rennes or elsewhere, I am always happy to find the public and I know how lucky I am. Everywhere I go, people are nice, happy to meet me and sing these songs with me…
And Toulouse, do you have any memories there?
Great memories! Imagine that, I was thinking about it earlier, Toulouse has always brought me luck! This is where I have always had very good concerts and great encounters. My son lives not far from Toulouse, and it’s a superb city, which I always take great pleasure in visiting.
