Interview with Cécile Nordegg: The soul is in the creating and performing and intellect is in everything: Videos, new CD covers, Sound

Jazz interview with jazz singer Cécile Nordegg. An interview by email in writing. 

JazzBluesNews.com: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music?

Cécile Nordegg: – I grew up in Vienna/Austria and it was my upbringing that got me interested in the arts in general and in music especially. I was very lucky and am very grateful to have grown up in a family and an environment where the arts and artist were omnipresent.

JBN: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?

CN: – The base to my musical style is a mixture of many influences; it is composed of the art of storytelling of the French chanson, of my musical roots in rock ‘n roll and my in great parts classical vocal training, and all that that is unified in jazz. My artistic concept is to bring together musicians from all corners of the world, from all generations and from various genres; that always creates a wonderful atmosphere of mutual inspiration and therefore evolvement is unavoidable and a welcome constant in my work.

JBN: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?

CN: – I am not necessarily a fan of routine practices. Everything is a work in progress and a progress in work. So, I improve during rehearsal work, that is an integral part, we all support each other and advance together. The other thing that helps me is my coaching work, through teaching others l get more precise in my musical proficiency, too.

JBN: – How do you keep stray, or random, musical influences from diverting you from what you’re doing?

CN: – Oh, that’s very simple, I think that being diverted is a gift! You must hear all kinds of music, all kinds of style, experience the ups and downs of life, to feel, to enjoy, to become yourself. You must have the opportunity to choose, and you can only choose if you are given a choice.

JBN: – How do you prepare for your recordings and performances to help you maintain both spiritual and musical stamina?

CN: – We prepare with a lot of rehearsals, we spend a lot of time together, we try to have fun, we work seriously but then there is the moment where we remind ourselves to play, but not only to play like musicians, but to play like children, to go for the adventure.

JBN: – What do you love most about your new album 2022: No-Ce Chansons Noce, how it was formed and what you are working on today?

CN: – No-Ce Chansons Noce was actually my first album, released 10 years ago, we just now have re-released it on all digital platforms. My latest album was a TRIPLE release – three albums in one: A live-album, Live @ the Baked Potato; DANCE PROCLAMATION – an album of remixes and dance-tracks and then JAZZ PROCLAMATION vol. 3, an album of only original songs, lyrics by my humble self and music by members of the band. Right now, we are touring with this program and of course are creating new songs.

JBN: – How did you select the musicians who play on the album?

CN: – I have the regular members of my band of course, then whenever we play concerts, we ask local musicians to perform with us, so some of those are on the album, and I am blessed to have an amazing network of musicians and it also depended a little on what sound I wanted from a particular song, what instruments I had in mind.

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JBN: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

CN: – I can only speak for myself, but soul is in the creating and performing and intellect is in everything that needs structure, like rehearsal schedules for example.

JBN: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?

CN: – Sure, I am not only okay with it I am happy if they find what they long for in my music and in our performance; the same way, what my audience is giving me is just spectacular.

JBN: – Can you share any memories from gigs, jams, open acts, and studio sessions over the years?

CN: – That is difficult to answer, luckily there were so many special moments. Basically, walking on stage and greeting your audience is always a very exciting moment, and then there are gigs where you don’t remember what you did because you were so in the moment which is at the same time irritating and fulfilling.

JBN: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of standard tunes are half a century old?

CN: – We are storytellers and there are no old or young stories. There are just stories. And what I am doing with my music, to mix generations, cultures and musical styles creating a new moment of jazz hopefully helps getting younger people interested in the genre.

JBN: – John Coltrane once said that music was his spirit. How do you perceive the spirit and the meaning of life?

CN: – The spirit is every moment of life, every breath you take, and giving meaning to each moment and breath is what gives meaning to life.

JBN: – If you could change one single thing in the musical world and that would become reality, what would that be?

CN: – The profit distribution of the streaming industry could be a little bit more just towards musicians. The consumer pays for streaming services, but we practically provide our music for free.

JBN: – Whom do you find yourself listening to these days?

CN: – Steve Vai, because my brother is his guitar-tech and they create amazing things together, and Al di Meola, he always was one of my favorites, and Joel Taylor who was a drummer for him will be playing the drums at our concert at The Baked Potato in May.

JBN: – What is the message you choose to bring through your music?

CN: – The message is my artistic concept, to bring people of all generations, and all corners of the world together and enjoy the moments they spend together.

JBN: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine: where and why would you really want to go?

CN: – That would be very private moments, a few to relive them in all their beauty and a few to maybe try and change their outcome – even if we would be able to travel through time, we don’t know if we would be able to change the course of time and the outcome of events.

JBN: – So far, it’s been me asking you questions, now may I have a question from yourself…

CN: – What is your secret very personal all-time favorite song, that stuck with you for a long time? Honest answer, no matter how embarrassing?

JBN: – George Benson – Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You 🙂

JBN: – At the bottom line, what are your expectations from our interview?

CN: – I don’t believe in expectations I believe in surprises.

Interview by Simon Sargsyan