Miriam Galea speaks to jazz musicians Sandro Zerafa and Oliver Degabriele about life in Paris and the upcoming Jazz Fringe concert.
I sigh wistfully at the thought of Paris. The elegant Eiffel tower, a lone accordionist at a cobbled street corner, polo necks and French berets, Truffaut, Chanel and joie de vivre. Musicians Sandro Zerafa and Oliver Degabriele were spirited enough to take the leap and move to Paris to immerse themselves in the city’s thriving jazz scene. Sandro explains that New York City is the trendsetter in jazz, with Europe following its steps, Paris having the largest and most happening European jazz scene. Sandro left Malta in 1998; Oliver moved to Paris three years ago. Both started off their adventure by studying music, Sandro at the Lyons Conservatory and Oliver at the Conservatory of the 9th District. Now they both play with various bands, rehearsing during day and gigging at night.
“Paris is a wonderful, inspiring city, undoubtedly an ideal setting for any growing musician. Having said that, there come times when for a Mediterranean like myself, the urban lifestyle becomes just a bit too heavy,” Oliver tells me. Sandro also admits Paris’s virtues but has his reservations about city life: “France is a very centralised country. Everything is concentrated in Paris, and few work opportunities exist for jazz musicians outside this city. Living in Paris can be very colourful, exciting and tiring at the same time. For a musician it’s a good place to be. It’s full of opportunities and you meet plenty of interesting people. Whatever you do in life, you tend to feel less marginal in a big city and end up finding your niche. But Paris is a very dense place. I like open spaces. It’s important for me to get out of the city every now and then.” Both musicians live in the Belleville area, which, according to Sandro, “was considered to be dodgy up till a few years ago, but is now becoming very hip amongst the bourgeois bohemians, and consequently losing its character.” “Gentrification,” he maintains, “is hitting everywhere in Paris.”
Sandro and Oliver live off gigs they give in the evenings at bars and cafes with a number of different bands. Oliver is currently attending jazz master classes organised by the CNR of Paris. He has played in various jazz formations such as the David Georgelet Trio, the Lionel Boccara Quartet, Perceptual and the Julien Daian Quintet as well as a few chanson groups, playing in numerous Parisian clubs and festivals around France. He also recorded with numerous groups, most notably on Perceptual's debut album to be released this year. Besides his band the White Russian Quintet, guitarist Sandro plays in many different projects as a sideman including the Fabio Accardi group, Brazilian instrumental group Botafogo that will be playing in Malta in October, the Nico Gori European Quartet and the Christophe Beuzer band. A typical day for the two musicians consists of rehearsals during the day and gigs in the evening; Sandro also teaches music on a part time basis.
Both musicians are currently in Malta to perform in Jazz Fringe, a two-day concert showcasing a series of acts by local and international bands presenting non-mainstream, European jazz ranging from purist to more dancy, electro jazz. The Julien Daian Quintet featuring DJ Borz, for whom Oliver plays the double bass, and Sandro’s White Russian Quintet are just two of the acts in this jazz event, which in a way fills some of the void left by the rudely stunted Malta Jazz Festival. Sandro is the artistic director of this new initiative. “Jazz is quite absent in the local jazz calendar, since the demise of the Malta Jazz Festival,” he says, “Thanks to Andrew Alamango and Fringe Productions we have managed to organise many events in collaboration with jazz musicians from Paris. Hopefully this will continue.”
Despite the slowly increasing interest in jazz music locally - with regular jazz nights at a few local bars and the summer Bridge Bar sessions in Valletta, Sandro believes that there isn’t really a jazz scene in Malta. “Malta is not easy for jazz musicians. When I was living here the only places where I could play were hotels, casinos and restaurants. One cannot grow as a musician in such contexts. Here there are no real jazz clubs. Jazz is not about playing cocktail music in hotel lobbies, it involves risk taking, putting oneself in perilous situations, putting your heart into every note you play. I hate the fact that in Malta jazz has been reduced to background music.”
“The main reason for leaving the island was a strong curiosity to see what it felt like to immerse myself in a healthy and dynamic music scene, and eventually find out if I’d manage my way through,” Oliver explains. What does Paris have that Malta cannot offer? “Simply: a choice of some 5,000 brilliant musicians to play with!” Oliver feels that “everyone has a chance of making it big. Most times it's a simple matter of taking a risk and going for something without asking yourself too many questions. Locally, some artists have what it takes, but fear the risk involved in committing totally to the discipline they practise.”
Life abroad has led the two musicians to meet and work with many talented and colourful characters. “The most interesting person I met was in Corsica last summer. I was playing at a festival together with American saxophone player Seamus Blake. He is the kind of musician I had been listening to for ages, and his excitement and fun attitude towards music were inspirational,” Oliver relates. “I am mainly inspired by the musicians I play with,” says Sandro, “I have been lucky to play with some very good musicians. I am particularly inspired by drummers and rhythm sections. Some of the best musical moments in my life were watching great drummers like Brian Blade, Jack de Johnette, Jeff Tain Watts, Paul Motian and Ari Hoenig.”
Hearing all this, one does not wonder why both of them have no plans of leaving Paris. “Paris is treating me very well at the moment so I’m very sure I’ll be based there for a while. I don’t plan much for the future. I’ve learnt to focus on the present and give the future and past a backseat in my life,” Oliver tells me. “Paris is difficult to quit. One becomes addicted,” Sandro agrees, “I am managing to make ends meet and live a reasonably comfortable life. I am doing what I always wanted to do. So I intend staying there. I would love to travel more and visit so many places.”
Jazz Fringe is taking place on 17 and 18 August at the Palace Courtyard, Valletta. The Synapse Trio featuring Arnette de Mille (Canada/UK/France/USA) and the Julien Daian Quintet featuring Dj Borz (France/Malta) will play on 17 August, while the Dominic Galea Quintet (Malta) and the White Russian Quintet (France/Malta/Israel) are playing on 18 August.