The up close and personal beauty of live sounding, organic jazz instrumentation opens this album up in the best possible way. Les Voyages is a gorgeously well captured few minutes of music and performance, bringing together smooth and delicate musicianship, a wonderfully characterful and captivating leading voice, the all important presence of space, story telling, structure, and of course – the easily hypnotic French language to guide you through the experience.
As you progress through this album, the music settles in as memorably scenic, creating a familiar vibe yet toying with the brightness and energy levels as the conceptual ideas step forward. Tais – Toi Marseille is notably more upbeat than the opener, but the chord progression changes unexpectedly on some occasions, so as with the first song – the structure is totally immersive and forever interesting. The music transports you, offering that essential escapism and repainting the walls of your current environment – lighting up the imagination and leaving you feeling uplifted and calm in the same instance.
This album by Claudia Meyer is a creation around Barbara’s song (an internationally renowned French singer). The project in this case is different from all that has already be done around the singer Barbara, as it brings together elements of Latina and Jazz to offer audiences a totally fresh interpretation regarding Barbara.
At its core, the album has depth and warmth, it’s a symbol of inspiration and it passes that over to you as you witness it. Claudia Meyer offers stunning vocals throughout, an effortlessly capable performance whether the pace is mellow or quick – the latter shows itself addictively on the song La Femme D’Hector. It’s an absorbing voice with both smoothness and grit to carry the melodies, the stories, in a way that feels natural and authentic. The instrumentals that support and enhance the songwriting accompanying the voice beautifully, every song is a joy to have play for you. It’s a collection that inspires positivity, good energy, optimism.
Elsewhere on the project the sound feels consistently familiar yet effectively fresh with each passing song. The scene is set by the music, the arrangement of the guitar picking alongside of the double bass, the use or absence of a light beat, the delivery of the melody – weaving in and out of the soundscapes like a graceful walk through the park; La Cantate gives off precisely this sort of feeling. This piece has been crafted so considerately, something that rings true throughout the project. The music and the writing are one and the same, both presented artistically and with the intention of fully, entirely representing the underlying concept with adoration and respect.
During the latter half of the album, the intensity rises a little. Mon Pote Le Gitan brings weight and a mild sense of urgency, the rising melody arrives with power, the music pours out like a short piece of stage theatre. Ma Plus Belle Histoire D’amour follows and offers a stark contrast with its delicately acoustic energy and a much softer, almost whispered performance. Later on, La Fleur, La Source Et L’amour presents one of the most instantly appealing chord progressions and levels of quickness and colour, a personal favourite, with so much character – a quickly enjoyable, reflective feeling song that is easy to listen to a few times over.
Finishing things off with a notably energizing shuffle of sorts, A Mourir Pour Mourir is the closing song of the album and reminds you of every flicker of strength that was the instrumental make-up and performance style of the whole project. Claudia Meyer has a beautifully appealing leading voice and the music on this project supports and enhances that natural ability in a mighty way. It’s a pleasure to listen in full, and there are undoubtedly certain moments that are more than worth revisiting whenever your day feels little too dark.
Find & follow Claudia Meyer on Facebook, Twitter & Soundcloud. Visit her Website or the album Website for more information.
