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After your single Evolution you released your first album Lost Myself in April 2016 how long it took you to realize this project
It took something like 2 and a half year to complete that project we took time first to get to know each other, get comfortable and start setting things down. and we started to record tracks with people coming in to contribute. We had to arrange and rearrange all the time to make sure that it sounded right. It took us roughly 3 years to complete the project.
Are you proud of it, what is you’re feeling about 10 months after it release?
Yes, I’m very proud of it it’s my first project I’m happy that so many people can have conneted to it and like it. Like a stated earlier I didn’t really think about what type of public I simply wanted to have my voice out there and get some feedback. And it worked. Some time we need just people to tell us what they think about what we do, to move on. ‘I very proud of it, I’m in California now and it’s my first time performing in some venue here in the United States and I’m Happy that people are still discovering the album, 10 months after its release. I have message from people around the world and I think it’s a good call for the next step I want to take.
You are in California now what are the reactions of people towards your album?
The CD from France have been sold out so it’s a good call, and after performing people are very eager to say how they like my style. And those who listen to the CD say how they appreciate the play of the musicians
France has been a critical experience to your career, does the fact that some acclaimed black American artists from Joshephine Baker to
to Dee Dee Bridgewater have made Paris home has been a motivation?
It was a motivation to stay in France I went to France to personal reason and I realized the opportunity that I had because I’m not French or francophone people were very interested to explore me and that difference of background has been a positive attraction, that worked in my advantage. In America, the similarity in background can be a barrier, but in Europe my difference made me noticed and indubitably it opened doors. And the public is also open minded because of the location of France they have music that come from all over the world, Africa the Caribbean America. Personally, I would never had considered to start a music career in Jazz in America. When growing up in the states It seemed to be a music reserved to old people, but now my views are different on the genre. In France people still have that romantic idea of the Jazzy vibes, and African Americans. France gave me a good platform to start people of my generation in the States are not always prepared to see somebody launch itself in Jazz music.
Talking about Jazz Music few new artists are choosing this path, and more over they are less and less black musician practicing this genre about you why?
Jazz music for lot of black Americans is the foundation of black music. I think that the style simply evolved, morphing into funk or RnB, even if it’s true that very few are still making straight up Jazz. From the prospective of those who are not African American they think that we are no more making jazz music because they don’t understand that the genre simply evolved.
In Europe were you ever able to work with some African musicians there is a huge community of African musicians there?
No haven’t got the chance yet. but if the opportunity arises why not…
You have recently travelled to Africa was it the first time for you to set foot in the motherland? what was you’re feeling about it?
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