Valerie Sajdik presents her new album: a musical ode to Europe and friendship
The versatile singer Valerie Sajdik, originally from Vienna, Austria, who has lived in Occitania for the past twenty years, surprises with her latest work: an album featuring selected covers for the first time.
With jazzy interpretations of well-known songs, she celebrates the Franco-German bond, European cohesion and the importance of friendship in these challenging times.
Musical bridges between cultures
Valérie Sajdik, until now best known for her own songs (whether solo or as part of “Saint Privat” with Waldeck), is breaking new ground with this album. She interprets French chanson classics in a personal way, giving them a fresh touch with her unique voice and jazzy arrangements. But the “modern” songs are not to be outdone: the French version of the 1982 Eurovision winner “Ein bisschen Frieden” (“Peace on Earth”) is a particular highlight. Thanks to its interpretation, the song acquires a new depth and topicality.
As a bonus on the CD, there’s a special surprise: a cover of Herbert Grönemeyer’s hit “Mensch”, with French lyrics by French singer Camille (who recently won an Oscar for her score to the film “Emilia Perez”).
With the song “Comment te dire adieu”, Valérie bows to the grande dame of French chanson, Françoise Hardy.
The film “Jules et Jim” features the famous song “Tourbillon de la vie”, sung by Jeanne Moreau. As the film deals not only with a triangular love story, but also and above all with a friendship between a Frenchman and an Austrian (played by Oskar Werner) after the First World War, this beautiful song could not be missing from the album.
There’s a hint of Vienna in the song “Le Fiacre” (“Der Fiaker”) by the famous café-concerts singer Yvette Guilbert, who in the interwar period was committed to understanding between peoples and was married to the Viennese Jewish biologist Max Schiller, with whom she hid in the south of France to escape the Nazis.
In several live programs, Valérie has sung songs by Kurt Weill, (regularly at the Neue Galerie NYC and especially in France), and with the song “Die Moritat von Mackie Messer”, she recorded one of his works for the first time, adding a verse in French by the writer Boris Vian.
With Heymann’s “Irgendwo auf der Welt gibt’s ein kleines bisschen Glück”, Valérie recorded one of her favorite songs.
Tribute to Barbara and Occitania
Another highlight of the album is the reinterpretation of the song “Göttingen” by French chanson legend Barbara. This song, written in 1964 during Barbara’s stay in the German town of Göttingen, is considered an important work for Franco-German reconciliation after the Second World War. Barbara wrote the song to express her positive experience in Göttingen, and in so doing, gave a signal for understanding between peoples and friendship.
Valérie Sajdik also pays tribute to the Occitania region, where she has been living part time for over 20 years, by reinterpreting the works of such great names in Occitan chanson as Charles Trenet, Georges Brassens and Claude Nougaro. With songs such as “La Mer”, “Les amoureux des bancs publics” and “Une rivière des Corbières”, she underlines her love for the Europe of the regions and highlights the continent’s cultural diversity.
Artistic collaboration with Cédric Chauveau
For the recording of this album, Valérie Sajdik worked closely with renowned French jazz pianist and arranger Cédric Chauveau. The two artists are linked by a ten-year friendship, which has already been expressed in previous projects.
Chauveau, who began his jazz career in 1993 and has already collaborated with numerous international artists, is distinguished by his delicate playing and deep-rooted love of swing and blues. His arrangements give the album a special touch and underline the emotional depth of the interpretations.
In addition to the songs recorded as a duo, the album also includes those accompanied on double bass and drums (Michel Altier – double bass, Samuel Devauchelle – drums).
AMITIÉS – Un album pour l’âme de l‘Europe
At a time when cohesion in Europe is more important than ever, Valerie Sajdik’s new album is a reminder of the unifying power of music. It invites us to celebrate the beauty of European culture and strengthen friendship between nations.
The album was commissioned by the Association Allemagne-Occitanie – L’Europe au cœur.
Tracklist :
- Une rivière des corbières (Nougaro)
- Les amoureux des bancs publics (Brassens, German text: Josef Degenhardt)
- La mer (Trenet)
- Göttingen (Barbara)
- Le fiacre (Xanrof)
- L’Europe au coeur (Thompson/Jarry/Chauveau/Sajdik)
- Le tourbillon de la vie (Rezvani)
- Die Moritat von Mackie Messer (Weill/Brecht)
- Peace on Earth (Siegel/Meinunger)
- Comment te dire adieu (Gainsbourg/Goland)
- Irgendwo auf der Welt gibt’s ein kleines bisschen Glück (Heymann)
- Bonus: Humaine (Grönemeyer/Camille)