Camille Bertault Quintet at the Jazz Forum

Camille Bertault Quintet
The Jazz Forum
Tarrytown, NY
January 11, 2025

How do you tell the difference between a rising star and a demonstrable phenomenon in the world of jazz vocalists? French-born Camille Bertault has proven her depth as a chanteuse, vocal innovator and composer with five albums to her name, touring Europe, Latin America and beyond, and picking up a coveted Victoires du Jazz award for best French vocalist 2023. As most of her recordings are in her native language and her representation is based in Europe, Bertault's work hasn't yet achieved all the recognition it deserves in the US.

Thus, the stage was set for Bertault's quintet to appear in a brief American visit including four sets at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, NY. The club had recently been named one of the "Top 100 Jazz Venues Worldwide 2024" by Downbeat. The singer's early show on Saturday, January 11th, 2025, made the case that she has crafted a one-of-a-kind sound and delivers a spell-binding performance worthy of global awareness.

From the outset, the audience seemed to appreciate that all the songs would be in French, making the language less of a novelty and more of a cultural backdrop to the entire performance—a "je ne sais quoi." Also featured was the singer's wordless vocalizations: in addition to scatting at hyper tempos, she mimicked jazz horns, latin percussion, and wild animals. The vocalist's 3-octave range enabled her to lead the audience to newfound emotions.

Bertault's compositions cover a range of sophisticated themes: In "Vois La Mer" ("See the Sea"), a child who is bullied at school dreams of being safe and unharried while looking at the water. With her rigorous classical training, the composer is equally adept at writing difficult-to-sing melodies and challenging harmonic modulations as she is at inventing catchy grooves that are a touch reminiscent of high-end smooth jazz.

As if her singing and compositions weren't enough, Bertault dances and sways during her songs, especially throughout instrumental solos. She complemented the music and motion with an eye-catching outfit: tailcoat, felt hat, hair all swept to one side. The complete package made her delivery mesmerizing, like a one-woman Cirque du Soleil.

The musician's supporting band ably contributed to the overall sound. Pianist Zach Lapidus constructed solos from fragmented intervals that accelerated into flying lines. Upright bassist Eduardo Belo laid down syncopated groove upon groove. Drummer Franco Pina, originally from Argentina, fashioned a drum kit that blended typical jazz components with percussion, including a West African shekere (gourd) mounted on top of the hi-hat and an Argentinean bombo legüero to provide a muted floor tom feel that propelled the group.

Last to join the performance was trumpeter Julien Alour, Bertault's partner on the front line. Alour's tone, with minimal vibrato, managed to sound sweet through choice of notes and subtle swing. Also contributing to the timbre was his striking, artisanal Harrelson trumpet, made with extra-weighted, unvarnished brass to produce a very full yet clean sound. The horn player's solos inspired the band to crescendo then let loose, while the singer writhed, hair flying, to the feel of the group.

The set featured songs from Bertault's albums Bonjour Mon Amour (Vita Productions, 2023) and Le Tigre (Chez Masterworks/Sony, 2020). Highlights included:

• The modal piece "Un Grain de Sable" ("A Grain of Salt"), which had the rhythm section pulsing in high gear;
• "Dodo," where Bertault zipped through a French rap;
• "Ma Muse" ("My Muse") aptly demonstrated how Bertault's lyrics are exceptionally beautiful in French, even for listeners who don't speak the language. Here is a sample: "Mon ange, ma pote, mon pain, mon aide, ma reine, mon but, mon onde."
• The finale, "Nouvelle York," opened and closed with an uncannily realistic police siren intoned by the bandleader. In between, Bertault spun a tale in French that could be symbolic of her expanding presence in the Big Apple: "New York, come on, say it, that you were waiting for me, that there's a place reserved for me here..."

If you have not listened to Camille Bertault and compatriots yet, there is no time like the present. Then you can say "je l'ai connue quand" (I knew her when).