about
The Franco-Swedish guitarist Paul Jarret’s project is inspired by the wave of Swedish immigration to the United States who happened during the second half of the 19th century. A theme that resonates with many of our contemporary issues. With his quartet, he creates a chamber-jazz that blurs the lines between improvised, minimalistic and repetitive musics, traditional Swedish music and liturgical musics, it’s also inspired by songs evoking exiles and Scandinavian melodies.
After being the ground of the Native Americans nations since the dawn of time, the United States of America’s started building themselves from the 17th century by firstly welcoming the first explorers, then following the successive waves of settlers. England, Ireland, Italy... A couple of European countries are known for their contribution to colonizing the United States. Sweden was one of them with the massive exodus of the population between 1840 and 1920. Fleeing from the starvation that was happening at that time, but also the economical difficulties caused by the Great Famine from 1867 to 1869, the yoke of the Lutheran church in Sweden, around 1,3 billion Swedes (a fifth of the population) left their country to join the New World. That’s how they participated, as well as many other European migrants, to the foundation of the United States of America.
Emma Jonasson, great-grand-mother of the guitarist Paul Jarret, has emigrated to the USA in 1900. She stayed in New-York several years before leaving for Sweden again where she built a family in 1910. She is the main inspiration of the project EMMA. EMMA is also inspired by different documents as “The Emigrants” from Vilhelm Moberg, a Swedish classical literature that tells the story of a Swedish peasant family’s exile.
EMMA is a musical evocation of this Swedish exodus to the United-States, unrecognized in France. But it’s also a consideration on the consequences of one’s choices have on their own life and on the future generations, and a metaphorical expression of the contemporary issues.
credits
released June 19, 2020
Paul Jarret – guitar
Éléonore Billy – nyckelharpa
Étienne Renard – double bass
Hannah Tolf – voice and percussions
"This album is dedicated to my great grandmother Emma Jonasson (born Johannesdotter), to my grandmother “Mormor” Karin Olsson and to my sons Tobias and Johan."
Produced by Paul Jarret and Pégazz & L’Hélicon
Recorded on 15th and 16th of March 2020 by Paul Boulier at Libretto Studio
Mixed by Erwan Boulay at Libretto Studios in March 2020
Mastered by Philipp Heck at Bauer Studios in March 2020