(English will follow) À mes amies/amis francophone sur FB, étant donné que vous aurez tous le loisir de lire ma biographie le 1er octobre prochain... et vous devriez la lire... je vais mettre un petit "teaser" en anglais pour mes amis vivant à l’extérieur de la Belle Province et qui ne parle pas la langue de Molières… ++++++ As you might know by now, my biography: Vic Vogel - Histoires de Jazz, will be in stores on October 1st, I’m proud of the work Marie Desjardins did and I asked her to send me excerpts of the English version the team is working on... Only for my FB friends... Enjoy! VIC VOGEL JAZZ TALES a biography by Marie Desjardins Hungarian by birth, Vic, the son of a violinist and horse breeder father, is the prodigal child of jazz. As a musician, musical arranger, conductor and composer, he has performed alongside the likes of Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Sammy Davis and Michel Legrand. He has also played with a long list of artists, including French singer Barbara, Eddie Constantine, Alys Robi and Véronique Sanson. As the icon of the Montreal Jazz Festival, Vogel is an institution. Rebellious, rigorous and flamboyant, he was the first to bring composer André Mathieu’s work back to life. Vic was the “sound” behind a series of shows on Radio-Canada. He was the endearing soul of hundreds of cabarets in Montreal, untouchable, seducing all with his personality and unique talent. Well-educated, marginal, this incorruptible Leo remains one of a kind. This biography is not an ordinary portrait, but a rich and intense story with many anecdotes – an original look at a humble star. Filled with photographs, Vic Vogel Jazz Tales depicts the musician’s life, dwelling on important episodes: his childhood, his passion for the piano, his exploration of Montreal and the world, his victories and his disappointments, as well as his family, his friendships, his meeting with Lennie Tristano, his journey into the Olympic games, his fall from grace, and his highly personal vision of jazz, Vogel style. Excerpts CHILDHOOD The Sparton radio was part of the family. It sat in the living room like a king, life-like. It was for Viktor an object of great importance. His father, Mathias, had made a conductor’s baton for his youngest son, along with a little bench just like the ones used to milk cows. What a clever man... More often than not, one had to channel his turbulent son’s energy, this devil of a boy. It was World War II, and Ritalin was not administered at large to every happy and vigorous child. To help his son concentrate, Mathias, an intelligent and sensitive father, would turn on the radio, hoist Viktor unto the little bench and command: “Go on. Conduct your orchestra!” At the beginning of the 1940’s, everything was aired live on the radio: series like Superman, The Shadow or The Green Hornet, concerts and even commercials. There was always an orchestra playing in the background. Standing tall on his little bench, listening to Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Harry James or Count Basie, Viktor would instantly calm down, enthralled by the music that filled his little body and soul. He was barely four when he fell in love with jazz. Swing and bee-bop would never leave him. The Sparton had brought much more than magic on de Bullion Street; it had revealed to Viktor his destiny. In this home, music was a way of life. THE OLYMPIC GAMES During the 1976 Olympic Games, Vic conducted his orchestra from July 17 to August 1 in front of millions of people; he became part of history. His fee for this particular contract? 75 thousand dollars spread over three years and taxed at 30%! “What the hell is that?” was Vic’s comment when time and time again he had to defend an amount that not a single physician would have settled for. “Peanuts!” LATER YEARS Vic’s sense of humor is one of the greatest manifestations of his intelligence. At the beginning of the 1990’s, he invites friends, fellow musicians and family to a party in Saint-Sauveur. He has planned a BBQ with a pig on a spit. He bids his guests to a ritual: everyone has to mop the beast using mops that have been dipped in a marinade from a huge bucket, using the mop as a basting brush. This ritual began years earlier when, during a party with Vanessa, then a child, Vic wrote a musical score called Mopping the Pig. Who else than Vic could have mustered up such a thing? About the author Marie Desjardins is the author of many novels, essays, biographies, controversial literary reviews and portraits of stars for several magazines. She has recently published Sylvie Johnny Love Story and co-authored essays on Nelly Arcan and Jehane Benoit. Her profound psychological signature makes her a unique writer. This literary homage to Vic Vogel was born of many conversations between Desjardins and the great musician. It is a work of understanding and love.
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 16:05:15 +0000
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