Love undoubtedly is the most common subject of songs ever since the beginning of time, which means that singing about love is the most common occupation of vocalists, from David the psalmist to (gulp!) Bocelli and Britney. Some do this much better than others, partly owing to the material, and mostly to the voice, the life-experience of the singer, and knowing how to put it all together. Is there a new way to present such a subject, so well-trod, trivialized, and sensationalized? Well, Claire Gignac and her partners may have found one. First, she has a voice like a smoke-free Marlene Dietrich, with low notes rich as dark amber maple syrup, and she has a native-speaker/knowing-lover way with French that keeps you listening whether or not you know what any of the words mean. You don’t need to know. These songs come from all over the place but they all go together, and the moods range from sultry and bluesy to folky and jazzy, sad and longing, light and dancing.
You’ll think that you’ve heard some of them before and you’ll be surprised to learn that some of the most beautiful of them, such as “Mon pauvre coeur soupier”, are centuries’ old, and others, such as “Puisque j’ai mis ma lèvre”, were written by Gignac herself for this disc. Some texts are drawn from famous poets such as Baudelaire and Hugo; several songs are from the pens of familiar names like Weill, Béchet, and Prévert. The arrangements, many by guitarist Marc Vallée, are just about perfect for these songs, fitting well into the program’s initial concept–settings “reminiscent of the old-style cabaret singers, with a jazz feeling.” Gignac is an experienced and very versatile singer whose credits include the early music/theatre group La Nef, composer, arranger, and stage director. Hopefully, this will not be her last venture into this territory–unusual for Dorian but a stroke of genius in conception and execution. This recording is a surprise, a treat, a delicious diversion. The music is wonderful, the sound ideal. Don’t miss it.
