“It's good to pay homage to Johnny and very important to bring his songs to life.
I hope people will like it, ”Yvan Cassar told us feverishly two years ago, completing the first act of“ Johnny ”, the first real posthumous album produced since Hallyday's disappearance in December 2017. The one who was his pianist, conductor and artistic director for nearly twenty years, producer of the albums "Le Cœur d'un homme" and "L'Attente", was quickly reassured.
His symphonic re-readings were acclaimed by fans, who bought 500,000 copies and made it the best-selling of 2019.
He thus embarked on an "act II" of twelve songs, and will leave on the roads in May 2022 with a symphonic show composed around the vocal recordings of the star.
Less epic, more intimate
It is difficult to speak of a symphonic album again with five out of twelve acoustic songs. This “Act II” is balanced between the titles accompanied by the 63 musicians of the London Recording Orchestra and 42 choristers - the team is the same as on the first act - and the stripped versions, with a piano, a guitar, such as “Love Me tender ”or“ The Music I love ”, with Greg Zlap, Johnny's last harmonica player. Among the hundreds of songs at his disposal, Yvan Cassar obviously favored the Universal catalog (which produced the record) and a few essentials - “Le Pénitencier”, “Je te promis”, “Laura”, “Mirador”.
But it also shed light on lesser-known titles, such as "J'la croise tous les mornins" by Jean-Jacques Goldman, and "About my father", an obviously very autobiographical 1974 title.
“I wanted to dig into the intimate vein and let myself be taken in by his interpretation,” explains Yvan Cassar.
I had quite a few surprises, including her incredible vocals on
Love Me Tender
and
Don't Leave Me
, recorded during rehearsals.
What gifts!
"
Up to 55 takes to find the right one
Yvan Cassar had spent a year selecting Johnny's voices for the first album. “I spent even more time this time, I listened to hundreds of songs and hundreds of versions,” he admits. Universal has done a crazy job of researching its archives. I had only one obsession: to make
The Music that I love
in a stripped-down version. I listened to up to 55 vocal takes to finally find the one I was looking for. "
Among the most beautiful symphonic successes, we rediscover "What I know", composed by Pascal Obispo on a text by Didier Golemanas, and "The Penitentiary", which is also a tribute to Ennio Morricone.
“I dreamed of making a western version of it, he who adored Sergio Leone.
I also loved doing a mini-opera of "Some Cries", with the text by Sagan and the music by David Hallyday.
I had a great time but it was so addicting that there will be no third act.
"
A symphonic tour ... without a hologram
Yvan Cassar will nonetheless extend his experience with a symphonic tour from May 2022. Twenty dates in France, Belgium and Switzerland, in large venues, including Pleyel on June 8 and 9.
"There will be a hundred musicians and singers on stage," specifies the conductor.
We will invite a local choir on each date.
The idea is to celebrate Johnny, nothing else.
There will be projections but obviously no hologram.
"
The “Johnny Symphonique Tour” will also test an immersive sound system.
“We want to offer spectators the same intimate experience as at home, with the impression of being one-on-one with Johnny.
There will be a lot of speakers in the room.
For the tour as for the albums, I don't want to disappoint.
"
EDITOR'S RATING: 4/5
“Johnny, act II”,
Panthéon / Universal, 16.99 euros the CD, 24.99 euros the vinyl; “Johnny Symphonique Tour” from May 20, 2022 in Epernay, tickets from 40 euros to 85 euros.
