Such
a publication represents without any doubt an important goal for
any artist: issuing a double album under the title "The best
of" indicates, that an artistic road has been travelled,
the relationship with the audience has been consolidated and his
personal life has come to a certain point. Also, because a successive
CD of the same title "The best of" would be rather difficult
to propose, especially when an artistic product is so strongly
related to the artist itself as in this case - the "person"
Jean-Louis
Noton. In fact, the important part of this double CD is greatly
related to the personality of JLN.
A clear philosophy of a simple life without distractions; an extrovert
character that proposes and strongly generates expression of his
musical feelings (which can clearly be seen by the very limpid
and effective melodic lines); knowing that he is an accepted "personality"
worldwide who expresses himself with the accordion. Noton has
understood very well, that in order to survive within this musical
world, it is not sufficient to be a good accordionist, but to
be "someone", to have an strong and contrasting identity
at times with desacrated spirit (remember the phrase: "il
solo campione intergalattico in attività" - "the
only intergalactic champion in activity") and often as at
other times with a lot of self-humour. That Noton is a personality,
cannot be denied.
It can clearly be seen on the CD equipped with numerous and beautiful
photos of the artist's life, and - what pleased me a lot
is the emotion in each photo, irrespective of where it was taken).
The disc contains pieces that could be part varieté, part
disco-dance and world music. Therefore, a good mix, above all
emphasizing on the modern sounds of today, combining acoustics
and electronics. But what most struck me are the disco-pieces,
indeed fizzy. But, please bear in mind, in order to make this
kind of music one cannot only be accordionist - but must be a
very strong musical "personality" that happens to perform
modern music with the accordion.
Reviewed by Paolo
Picchio
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