On the occasion of his big return to Paris, after nine years of absence, Jack Savoretti talks about his connection with the French public, without forgetting to talk about his new album.
Don’t miss Jack Savoretti in concert at the Trianon (Paris) on October 12. Places are available.
You are preparing to play at the Trianon on October 12, for the first time in France in nine years. How do you feel?
I finally have an excuse to come back to Paris, one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s relatively hard for an artist to break through in France, because you want to preserve French-speaking music. As an Italian, I see that things are also starting to move on this side and that music with texts in this language is coming back. I feel honored and privileged to play at the Trianon, it hasn’t been easy, so I don’t take it for granted.
Do you have any memories of your previous visits to France?
I remember my first time here was on tour with Jake Bugg. We played La Flèche d’Or. It’s the first time I had a connection with the French public. I felt something special was happening and I wasn’t going to turn my back on them, it’s worth working on this audience.
What can we expect?
Of course, there will be many songs from my new album, We Will Always Be the Way We Were. However, I do not intend to abandon my older titles, which have brought me to my current level. This tour is also an opportunity to celebrate my 20th career, so we’re going to bring out old songs from the drawers. We will do everything to make it fun and lively.
How do you perceive this album now that it has been available for a few months?
This is the album I always wanted to make. It just took me 20 years. I wish it was my first, but it fits the time in my life when I did it. It’s a record about midlife crises. I almost called him “Midlife Crisis”but it’s not very poetic. It is very different from its predecessor, Miss Italy. I decided to make this record in Italian following the death of my father. This record allowed me to make peace with my feeling of nostalgia.
Let’s talk about your group’s contribution to this record.
They all participated in the writing and arrangements. When it came time to do so, I gathered them together and asked them to get involved: “We’re going to tour for two years for this record, I want you to love it, not do it just for the money, there’s not enough money for it to be your only driving force anyway! » (laughs) It’s a real group effort, recorded in live conditions, without trying to sanitize the whole thing or erase the imperfections. We can also hear Herbie, my pianist’s dog, barking at one point.
You are celebrating your 20th career with this tour. What do you think is the most important thing in your career?
Being still here after all these years! This is the hardest part! Making good albums is one thing, but you shouldn’t believe that it’s just thanks to you, there’s a whole team behind it that contributes just as much, without forgetting the fans. But staying all this time is what I’m really proud of. No one can take it away from me.
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