JE VOIS VENIR

Gabriel Yacoub, born in 1952 in Paris of a Lebanese father and a French mother, is not very familiar to me as a solo artist, while I've listened to some albums of his folk prog group MALICORNE. That rather legendary band was active from 1973 to the late 80's (plus a reformative era in the 2010's). In his solo albums Yacoub has sung mostly in French and to a smaller degree in English.

Je Vois Venir is a 2-disc live set recorded in January 2003, in a theatre located in Quimper, Bretagne. The ten-piece line-up features the most essential co-musicians appearing also on his studio albums, such as Yannick Hardouin on piano and acoustic bass, Gilles Chabenat on hurdy gurdy, guitarist Nicolas Yvan Mingot, and the British Brian Gulland (GRYPHON) playing bassoon, flute, oboe, soprano saxophone and tuba. Yacoub himself plays acoustic guitar and mandocello, and other instruments on this concert are violin, bagpipes, low whistle and naturally percussion. The sonic quality is excellent. The warm and intimate atmosphere of the concert is well captured. I like the acoustic sound of the ensemble that leaves a lot of space; each instrument is heard clearly.

Gabriel Yacoub's vocals are also elegant and relaxed. The songs seem to come from across Yacoub's solo album catalogue, perhaps with a little emphasis on the then latest album The Simple Things We Said (2001), which, despite the title, is mostly sung in French. This 94-minute live set is entirely in French. My school French is so rusty that I can only partially get into the lyrical substance of the songs, but that is not a problem. I can easily relate to the emotional substance.

Just to pick up a few beautiful songs: 'Gris' has mesmerizing instrumental sections where e.g. bagpipes, violin and bassoon are well noticed. 'Je resterai ici' is a melancholic, serene piece backed by a piano. The set's title track is also a slow-tempo song, like the majority of the concert, and has a lengthy bagpipe solo. Sylvie Berger's beautiful vocals grace the short duet 'Chanson de fol' and the deeply charming song 'Ouvarosa'.

Whether you're a newcomer or already have some acquaintance to Gabriel Yacoub's music, it makes no difference at all. I recommend this live album in both cases, if you enjoy peaceful, acoustic, introspective and spacey vocal music with a folk and world music orientation, and have no objections to the French language. From the world of prog some kindred spirit can be found from the Quebecois scene: Harmonium, Maneige and such. Other musical references I wish to mention, when it comes to this special live atmosphere, are the concerts of LOREENA McKENNITT (I have on DVD her concert from Alhambra, great stuff!) and the "Arabesque" live set of JANE BIRKIN, from the Olympia theatre, Paris, March 2002.