Jazz saxophonist Thurgot Théodat on his way to France, met with KariJazz on November
6, 2006. Recently, he released a new CD, B-A-D-J-I
(August 2006), which is generating great interest
among fans. He kindly accepted to sit down with
kariJazz to answer some questions. Below is the
transcript of the whole interview that Mr. Théodat
gave KariJazz. I hope you enjoy this great conversation.
KariJazz:
Good evening. Today we are happy to have with us
one of the most influential composer, arranger and
saxophone player on the this new trend called voodoo
Jazz, Kreyòl Jazz , Haitian Jazz … Today
what is of interest for us is not to put a label
on this music but to introduce to our listener saxophonist
virtuoso Thurgot Théodat. On behalf of KariJazz,
Alpi and Karl are happy to wish you a warm welcome
because you are the first artist to kick off this
series that KariJazz want to extend to other prominent
jazz players on the network. And it is not the last
time we are going to meet (everybody laughs).
Thurgot Théodat: This is real pleasure
to meet you guys because you are real amateurs of
music; not only in term of Haitian Music but in
term of music in general and I love that. Your open-minded
attitude toward music is something that is amazing,
taken in the Haitian context. I have been fighting
for a long time to impose in Haiti a kind of "new
sound". This is with great pleasure that I
am here to chat on the subject.
KariJazz: Thanks
again. Since 1986, many currents have emerged from
the Haitian musical experience. Many new artists
came into view with new concepts during that period.
How do you position and see yourself in this new
trend?
Thurgot Théodat: Until 1986, I did
not know per se what we usually call Haitian music.
I had some vague recollection of Kompa Dirèk
as a child. My whole adolescence life unfolded outside
of Haiti; hence I was not exposed to this music.
As an inquisitive person by nature and a passionate
of Jazz music I was always in that quest because
when you like and play this music it allows you
to develop a natural curiosity for things. Therefore
Jazz music drove me to discover or maybe rediscover
the Haitian aspect of my multicultural background.
When I came back to Haiti in 1986, as a musician,
I had a Jazz culture with, I would say, a Western
background…
KariJazz: You
said you came back to Haiti in 1986. Where were
you before?
Thurgot Théodat: I was living in Europe.
I have lived in France from 1973 to 1986.
KariJazz: What
were you doing in Europe?
Thurgot Théodat: I was living there
as a kid. All my education from Middle school, to
College happened in France. Then I came back to
Haiti with a kind of Jazz-pop background and met
with some musicians from the band "Foula".
These musicians made my education in terms of voodoo
culture.
KariJazz: Hum.
This is a very strong word. You said these folks
taught you about the popular culture of Haiti, voodoo.
Before this encounter, didn't you have any previous
knowledge at all of our popular culture? Didn't
you have any basic knowledge of the socio cultural
impact of voodoo in the Haitians' culture?
Thurgot Théodat: I had no idea at
all. Of course, when I left the country, I was 14.
I used to listen to music from the radio. But I
had never gone to a voodoo ceremony. I did not know
what it was. All the time I spent abroad, I had
almost no contact at all with my roots. I was young
and I hang out mostly with folks from different
countries. I did not have any Haitian friends per
se. So I started really learning about my culture
with my encounter with "Foula". They taught
me how to play the drums/percussions. As I deepen
my knowledge of voodoo, I was obliged to learn all
the rhythms (Petwo, Konngo, Nago etc…) and
again the folks from "Foula" taught me
how to play the drums and how to recognize the different
rhythms.
KariJazz: You
said they taught you how to play the drums. Is it
something important to know as a musician? Is it
important to know the drums in order to integrate
better voodoo and structures of contemporary music?
Thurgot Théodat: Logically no. But
I would say yes because when I hear my music in
comparison to other music in the same vein, I found
that the fact that I know how to play the drums
allow me to integrate better the rhythms in my music.
We are talking here about Kreyòl Jazz or
voodoo jazz, I think the drums is not present enough
in this music. Maybe this happens because all these
musicians do not know how to play drums. As a drums
player I devise that it is important that the drums
must be a central element of my music. Voilà!
It is not I was obliged to learn how to play the
drums. But I like this instrument. I also learned
the piano because I love harmony. There is a level
that you reach as a musician, you suppose to play
piano. I am not a virtuoso. I cannot solo as a master
on piano; but this instrument is important in term
of harmonic richness for any real musician.
KariJazz: Through
what you just said, I have the impression that the
technical side as a musician is something that is
important to you. I do not think that someone, who
cannot read and write music, cannot make arrangements
will have access to the concepts you are talking
about. Am I wrong?
Thurgot Théodat: Of course you aren't.
There is a profundity one cannot reach in music
without a deep knowledge of music theory and technicalities.
Knowing music theory allows me to communicate with
other musicians. On the CD Badji I have two foreign
musicians playing with me. If we were communicating
by ear, it would be a very difficult, tedious and
endless process. Communication became easier because
done on a scientific basis. There is a minimum of
technical background required if the musician wants
to go further in that self expression matter.
KariJazz: You
made allusion to the CD and I am glad you did because
this is our next point of discussion. KariJazz is
really happy with this CD. In our philosophy, this
is the kind of work we are looking to talk about.
We have always advocated for a Haitian music that
would be more eclectic and consequently accessible
to other people in the world. The trend voodoo Jazz
initiated by Sa, Foula is very strong and this is
most likely the one that is closer to the eclectic
aspect we mentioned earlier. I listened to this
CD probably 10 times. This is a superb album.
Thurgot Théodat: Thank you
KariJazz: Can
you talk about the conception of the CD and why
Badji now 15 years after "Foula."?
Thurgot Théodat: I have to tell you
when I started working with "Foula"; it
was difficult for me because I did not understand
what was going on? I was used to the classic drum.
I knew how to play swing very well. Imagine that
Foula was a guitar, a saxophone, a bass and 3 percussions.
I had problems to understand this concept. I was
saying all the time why we don't play with a regular
drummer? After a gig, the money had to be spread
between too many players, I was saying. I could
not understand. I was seeing all of this from a
materialistic point of view. This is where the education
started. The folks from "Foula" made me
discover that voodoo rhythms cannot be played with
on drum/percussion. You need at least 2. This group
had vibrant percussionists, extremely advanced technically
speaking. This widened my view from the strict swing
approach to lager palettes of sounds and rhythms:
Petwo, Nago, Rada, Ibo which brought different colors
to the music I was playing.
The
Foula experience lasted until 1991. When the only
CD of the group came out, the band split because
must of the musicians were tired in this struggle.
I have to tell you the band never received any subside
neither from the Haitian government nor from the
private sector. Therefore most of the musician left
the country and went to the USA. I stayed in Haiti
and felt isolated because I did not want to play
Kompa or Reggae. I wanted to play my music. I started
to teach music (all what I learned with "Foula")
to the youth to prepare a group of musicians that
will help me play my music. Next
page...
KariJazz
November 6, 2006
