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Mélanie Dahan is a Rising Talent in Paris’ Jazz Scene
By Laurence Koffy
 French jazz singer Mélanie Dahan (Jerome Krief Photo) |
Paris, France — The day my co-worker Mickael Dahan proposed that we go and listen to his cousin Mélanie Dahan sing, I thought, "Great! That could be fun." Little did I know what a wonderful time I would have that evening. The concert was to take place at the Sunside Jazz Club which is truly a reference in Paris’s Jazz scene. The Sunside is located on rue des Lombards in Chatelet-les-Halles.
To many people, Chatelet-Les Halles is the heart of Paris. After l’île de la Cité, it is the most ancient district of the French Capital, and also the one whose history is the richest. Already in the Roman times, this area was known for being a sort of trade center. Back in 1135 Louis VI decided to transfer the Old Market from the Place des Grèves (current City Hall location) to the locality of Champeaux which gathered more or less abandoned swampy lands. Philippe-Auguste will have build, in 1183, two huge frameworks intended to shelter the market which the Parisians will automatically refer to as the Halles (Halla meaning a vast covered place). The Halles will preserve its activity of central market place for several centuries.
I had not been to the Halles in quite a few months, so I welcomed the idea of immersing myself into this swarming world one more time…and grab a bite at a close by Kentucky Fried Chicken (I think there’s only 3 KFC restaurants in Paris, therefore every time I go the the Halles, I make it a requirement to stop there) After having filled our tummies, Mickael and I headed via the Boulevard Sébastopol to the lively rue des Lombards, and that is where I met Mélanie for the first time.
Mélanie is just an adorable young woman with big sparkling eyes and a smile to die for. A little less than year ago, she gave up pursuing a marketing and international trade career to devote all her time and energy to her true calling: Music (and if you ask me she made the right decision). That evening of September, as soon as Mélanie opened her mouth to let escape the first words of the first song, the audience fell under her spell. It is incredible to witness the way she can hypnotize a room full of people.
Mélanie was introduced to music at an early age by her father, who is a true Jazz aficionado. As you can imagine, jazz has always been a big part of her life. Her involvement in the artistic world started back in Junior High when she realized she could sing and launched a part in "Casting" a musical the school was putting together. Getting the part enabled Mélanie to perform on the stage of the very famous Olympia where celebrities such as Johnny Halliday and Jean-Jacques Goldman (one of Céline Dion favorite songwriter) have performed.
While still going to school, Mélanie joined a band called Les Gavroches which gave her more opportunities to test her singing abilities and perform on stages like the very renowned Theatre de la Porte Saint Martin. She stayed with the Gavroches for almost five years, all the while performing by herself in piano bars, private parties, and Club Med Villages. During that period, Mélanie did as many representations as her schedule would allow, in order to get better musically and vocally.
Mélanie has always been a good student in school, and got her High School diploma with honors. Something that made it even harder for her to forgo her job and make music her full time job. She was not sure she should drop a "secured" future to something as uncertain as the music industry can be. Nonetheless, the call is difficult to ignore it and Mélanie never regretted closing the door to financial security. Some days are good, others are not, but all in all Mélanie is grateful to be able to sing.
Back in 1999 Mélanie went with family members and friends to a restaurant in Paris where a pianist/singer was entertaining the clients as they were savoring their diner. Because she felt like it, Mélanie when up to the piano and started singing with the musician. As you might have guessed, he loved her voice! Though he could not offer her a job, he handed her a list of piano artists who could be interested in her singing abilities. She started calling them the following day to find out what they were about and assess whether or not they were serious about a musical career. Of all the artists she called, she decided to meet with Pierre Bertrand. As soon as they met, they hit it off and agreed to work together. In my opinion a better match would have been harder to find! The way they perform together on stage is just amazing. Looking at them it is almost possible to see the vibes that are travelling between the two of them! They are in total harmony on stage. Pierre later introduced Mélanie to Mike Armoogum a terrific bass player and Frédéric Bintner who is a marvelous drum player. The four of them account for the very Mélanie Dahan Quartet.
The night Mickael took me to the Sunside Jazz Club, Mélanie Dahan Quartet spoiled us with a wide repertoire of Jazz classical. Their interpretations ranged from Bobby Troup’s Route 66 to Rodgers and Hart’s Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered. They also entertained us with Aretha Franklin’s legendary Baby I Love You, as well as the famous title Autumn Leaves (Les feuilles mortes) sung by French icon Yves Montand. The three-part show included songs by Ella Fitzgerald, Nathalie Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, as well as Mélanie and Pierre’s very own compositions.
The way Mélanie writes her own songs is quite simple: she is usually inspired by a melody (composed by Pierre), from which lyrics will come easily. Inspiration can come in many ways and it seems to be the way it works for Mélanie. Her songs can be total imagination or based on her own life and upbringing in the City of Lights. She usually tries to have a blend of both.
Mélanie hopes to be able to do an entire concert with her own songs. She loves singing great artists’ lyrics; however, her head is filled with personal stories that she needs to communicate to an audience of jazz amateurs. Because she is a perfectionist, and because so far she’s for the most part been learning by hearing, Mélanie has decided to enroll into a Jazz school. She wants to be able to read music partitions so she can better capture the rhythm and melody of the songs she performs. She also thinks it will enable her to better direct the musicians with whom she sings.
The courses she will take will range from scat (improvisation in harmony with a tune) and scenic interpretation (to better convey her emotions on stage), to tone recognition and piano.
To me and to the many people who attend the concerts, Mélanie already is a complete artist. However, we can only admire her more for wanting to improve and get better. She probably feels that she has not reach her full potential yet.
Being an artist in Paris in not easy, especially when one has to do his/her own promotion. As well as doing her own promotions, Mélanie also is her own agent. As we all know, in this competitive music world, good and efficient agents are pretty hard to come by, especially for a rookie. Being sort of alone in her conquest of the French public does not scare Mélanie one bit! She has her loving family to rely on and her friends are always there for her. Although she did not choose an easy path, Mélanie deeply feels that she took the right decision. Singing Jazz is what makes her happy, it is what makes her want to get up every morning and face our uncertain world.
If you swing by Paris, be sure to check out Mélanie’s website: http://www.jazzvalley.com/musician/melanie.dahan as you’ll find there her performances dates and many more information. Trust me when I say that spending a couple of hours listening to her soft voice is in no way a waste of time. It will make your stay in Paris even more sensational!
A bientôt!
