TicketMOMster Review: Cyrille Aimee @ Winnipeg Art Gallery (Asper Jazz Performances – Rady JCC)
Cyril Aimee and band performing at Winnipeg Art Gallery. /ANNE MARTIN
I’ve done my fair share of traveling around the world. Whenever I visit somewhere that feels different than Winnipeg, romanticism kicks in and I can’t help but think:
“Get out! People actually live like this?” (Swoon!)
Cyrille Aimee was born in a French village (Samois-sur-Seine) not unlike Belle’s village in Beauty & The Beast. Famous gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt also lived (and died) in Samois-sur-Seine. When Cyrille was young, she would sneak out of her parents house to sing with gypsies who set up caravans outside the village for the annual Django Reinhardt Festival.
“Girrrrrrl, get out! You actually lived like that? Gypsy music and the caravans and the ‘Bonjour!’ing? Oh my God, I want to live like that. I can’t speak a lick of French, but still…” (Swoon!)
She now lives in Brooklyn and somehow, she was enticed to play two shows at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
I attended the first show under less than ideal circumstances. I’m in the middle of grieving the sudden death of my Father and today I was dragging myself around. I felt…functionally sad. I made polite conversations with strangers and I even smiled, but it all felt distant. Sometimes I didn’t even realize I was smiling because deep down, I only felt heavy with grief. I know that life is always changing and this will change too. But right now, this is where I am.
Despite my mood, Cyrille and her band kind of intrigued me. The promise of a French speaking singer meant I probably wouldn’t identify with lyrics and sad memories may not surface. Which, is kind of what I was looking for today.
My ears perked up as soon as I heard the tone of the guitars. I wondered if that tone could pull me out of this funk. The only way it would happen, is if the musicians were great and they played upbeat music. They were, and they did.
“Live Alone And Like It” was a great choice for an opening song. Cyrille’s scatting was positively swinging and it gave the audience a good indication of the level of musicianship and energy of the band.
The band managed to make “T’es Beau Tu Sais” sound like an Edith Piaf’s song, but Cyrille didn’t sound anything like Piaf; her voice was smooth and sweet, which I found interesting.
Koran Agan and Michael Valeanu’s guitar solos during Cyrille’s cover of a Dominican Republic song (I didn’t catch the name), were awesome. Goose bumps traveled up my legs, across my back and shoulders to my neck; it felt amazing.
Right after that tune, Cyrille’s funky scatting in “Nuit Blanche” made me want to get up and dance. The band went straight into a lightening fast “Three Little Words” and by the end, the crowd was cheering far too energetically for a Saturday afternoon show.
Cyrille and bassist, Dylan Shamat were left alone on stage to play “Autumn Leaves”. The bass solo was tasty and easy to follow; very groovy.
Dylan left the stage and Cyrille explained what a loop pedal was and proceeded to get the crowd going again with “Make You Dance”.
The band came back on stage and covered Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall”, which was really interesting.
At the end of the set, they received an enthusiastic standing ovation which continued until they took the stage again to energize the crowd even more with “Caravan”.
I felt terrific after this show. The band reached me over and over and gradually pulled me out of my funk. Cyrille Aimee’s jazz morphed through multiple styles and cultures and my brain was totally satisfied.
I love our local jazz scene, but I love these mind expanding traveling musicians too. Today, I couldn’t help but think:
“Get out! Jazz can sound like this?” (Swoon!)
Thanks Cyrille and band, that was cool.
Good night.
TicketMOMster is a Rock and Jazz-loving Mom; single-handedly keeping Ticketmaster alive in Winnipeg. Follow her musical journey here: www.facebook.com/TicketMOMsters
