Description
Groupe mythique des années 70, reconnu pour son sens de l’improvisation collective et la complexité de ses compositions, Led Zeppelin constitue l’un des groupes majeurs et les plus influents de l’histoire du rock. Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham et Robert Plant furent des créateurs hors normes. L’envie presque vitale de jouer ensemble, les relations quasi fusionnelles entre les instruments, les concerts work in progress, restent la marque de fabrique de Led Zeppelin. Toute une génération s’identifia à ce phénomène dans une même idée de bouleversement musical et social.
Pour le premier album de son ONJ, Franck Tortiller a choisi de mettre à l‘honneur le programme Close to Heaven, en hommage à Led Zeppelin. Majoritairement composé de cuivres et de percussions, l’orchestre relève le défi en s’appropriant l’univers du fameux groupe de rock et signe une singulière adaptation pour orchestre de jazz de quelques-uns de ses grands hits (Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir, Black Dog, The Rain Song…). Avec une recherche constante de dynamiques et de prises de parole, un travail spécifique sur les arrangements, les couleurs de son et d’électronique, l’orchestre fait le pari de la liberté de jeu, sans guitare ni chanteur, mais peut-être emprunt de nostalgie…
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Led Zeppelin, legendary and highly important group of the seventies and one of the most influential in the whole history of rock, made its reputation on the strength of collective improvisation and the complexity of its music. Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant were truly unusual artists, inspired by an almost vital need to keep playing together. This, plus the state of near fusion reached between them and their instruments when they played, and their work in progress live appearances were their trademark and still are. A whole generation identified with them, so revolutionary was their music and social message.
For his ONJ’s first album, Franck Tortiller chose to highlight the Close to Heaven program, a tribute to Led Zeppelin. A challenge that his ONJ with its large brass and percussion sections meets by recreating the famous rock group’s universe and delivering some very special versions of some of its greatest hits (Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir, Black Dog, The Rain Song…), specially adapted for jazz band. The constant aim has been to bring out the dynamics and the individual contributions; together with some specific work on the arrangements and the special tone colours, including the electronic part, the ONJ has clearly opted for the free-wheeling, creative approach. No guitar, no vocalist, but maybe a touch of nostalgia somewhere…
