Who doesn’t love a good dose of jazz? With its distinct style of improvisations and standards, it has come to be the most inspiring among music styles across the world. However, according to Sylvain Rifflet, there is a lot yet to be experienced in the world of jazz.
The French saxophonist, clarinettist and composer, was in the city this weekend to play at Alliance Française with his project Alphabet. Presenting music that is quirky, fresh and addictive, Sylvain uses the sounds by his fellow musicians as the driving force of his music. Incorporating percussionist Benjamin Flament’s distinct rhythms with Joce Mienniel’s kalimba and flute, backed by Philippe Gordiani’s electric guitar, Sylvain’s clarinet and saxophone create a dream-like atmosphere.
On their first visit to the country, the band is clearly thrilled. Sylvain says: “It is a smiling country! We love it here.” He goes on to talk about India’s music. “It is very exciting because from our Occidental point of view, for us French people, Indian music is considered to be one of the cleverest, most intelligent and possessing a very high level of musicianship. It is something we have admired for a long time and it is a dream come true to be in the country that has such a huge cultural heritage. This is not just another country. It is a different world and we have travelled thousands of kilometres just to encounter this experience.”
He adds: “However, we haven’t had the chance to encounter any Indian musicians yet. Please tell them we are really looking forward to meeting them and interacting with them.”
Commenting that the band has been around for six years, Sylvain says, “We play almost all originals composed by me with music written specifically for this band. We also play a different version of a composition by American composer Moondog (Louis Thomas Hardin) by adding our signature to his song. The band is really different in its set-up. It is not like the conventional jazz band with the standard bass, piano, drums, etc. It is a guitarist, flautist, saxophonist trio with a guy who plays a homemade set of percussions that he built himself with treated metals and unique sounds. The reason why we play mostly originals is largely because of him since I wrote music keeping his sound in mind.”
The Frenchman hopes his audience is astonished and taken by surprise by their music. “I hope it gives them feelings and dreams and takes them somewhere else; somewhere different that music has never taken them before. That’s my expectation,” he says and adds: “It’s funny because a friend of mine once told me that Indian musicians are constantly looking for perfection – their absolute. Well, on the other hand, we are always on the lookout for something different.”
Their music, Sylvain says, stems from all the things they listen to. “Of course, it has its roots in jazz music. The flute player and I are like twins from the jazz education, so we’ve learnt from that. But we’re not Americans. So we also have this European tradition of classical playing that comes into our music. The last few years, we’ve been listening to a lot of minimalistic music from North America that has influenced our sound. And most importantly, the band’s set-up itself has shaped our music.”
On what jazz means to him, Sylvain says jazz is so many different things.
“From classical and standards to groovy and freestyle, everyone adds something new to the music format. Jazz is like a big box that you can put your hands into and you’re going to get something different each time. That is what I like about the genre that has so much variety and diversity. Jazz is inspiring as a music form. It is in constant motion. That is what drives me not to replay what others have done. I love standards, but that is not what I’m seeking. I’m always looking for something new; something different.”
Moving forward, Sylvain hopes to start a new project with more strings in an orchestral set-up.
“I’d love to explore new sounds. But this band is going to go on for a while. We will continue discovering new sounds. I hope to keep going in my endeavour. I believe I’m always on edge of getting what my absolute is. I don’t think I will ever find it though,” he laughs and adds: “But that’s what keeps me going on my quest.”
