Words by Justin Turford
While the majority of the world’s music festivals have been forced to postpone or cancel entirely in 2020, a few notable ones have managed to still go ahead by broadcasting online but without living, breathing, virus-spreading audiences - a minor tragedy for sure in amongst the bigger picture but still a sadness that we can’t share art together next to each other. On a brighter note, this has meant that a new way has had to be forged and the EFG London jazz Festival has done a fantastic job of bringing such a broad and vibrant festival to life. Running from 13th to 22nd November, the festival encompasses live streamed gigs, workshops, talks and more and there have been some inspirational moments which can be found on their Youtube channel for free!
One such performance has been Julie Campiche, the Swiss harpist and experimental jazz composer who was part of the New Switzerland line up that played on 14th November at Château Rouge in Annemasse, France. Unable to perform her quartet’s brilliant recent album Onkalo, Julie performed a short but intense set of all new music as a trio with herself on harp, voice and electronics alongside her regular quartet’s live bassist Manu Hagmann and drummer Clemens Kuratle and later joined by singer Mirjam Hässig. It was quite something. Simple stage lighting framed the stage, Julie silhouetted alone with her harp and electronic gizmos. The first track is more akin to live sound art than jazz, looped vocals and sparse electronic drum hits, treated keyboards and live harp, the atmosphere foreboding and richly drawn. Julie’s interest in the world’s urgent needs palpable, fear and fire while snippets of Charlie Chaplin’s speech from The Great Dictator reprises throughout. No applause, no audience.
The scene changes as the rest of the band appear. Facing each other in the round, the musicians go in deep. Drawing on classical as well as Indo-European jazz motifs and tone, this is exemplary improvisational music, fragile, powerful, emotional. Joined by Mirjam Hässig on the hymn-like ‘Sick Rose’, the energy is reduced but the atmosphere increased. Torch music, tense but sensual, stripped back yet thrilling. Lights down. Julie alone at the harp. The most majestic of instruments, played by someone with delicacy, confidence and skill is breathtaking and the final improvisation is a grounding moment. Beautiful.
Thanks to Arlette Hovinga at Jazzfuel for the heads up!