Marvin Gaye | What happens 50 years later?

With a keen interest in the environment and the civil rights of black society, the album whats going on May be released in 2021. To underline 50^e On the anniversary of Marvin Caye’s cult album, we had the opportunity to speak with his biographer David Ritz and Montreal Tramponist Modibo Geeta, who will perform Caye’s primary work on Sunday evening at the invitation of the Jazz Festival. For the show, he will be accompanied by about twenty singers and musicians.

Emily Cotte
Press

David Ritz is Marvin Gaye’s best friend. We owe him the biography Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Caye, Released in 1985, a year after the tragic death of pop music legend at the age of 44, after being murdered by her father after a violent argument.

Their first meeting took place at Cayenne’s studio in Los Angeles. The latter prepared his album inspired by his divorce, Here is my love (Released in 1978). “I wrote a book about Ray Charles and he became interested in producing a book about his life. That’s how we became friends and collaborators,” he said, writing books about David Ritz, Etta James, Patti Guy, BB King, Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson. Who knows.

Marvin Gaye is a soul star and a cash cow – of the Motown barn, he recalled. whats going on Released in 1971, producer Perry Cordy left his famous recording company in his nest in Detroit, the entertainment capital of Los Angeles, especially due to the success of Jackson Five.

It’s not a soft album musically or socially, the author says. “Cordy is a conservative and he wanted to preserve the image of Marvin. The loving, handsome and famous man who duets with Tommy Terrell.”

“The idea of ​​creating Report Politics is too dangerous for the court, David Ritz continues. But when the juice whats going on It turned out, the album wasn’t even over, it was so successful, Cordy changed her mind. ”

The concept of this album, reminiscent of David Ritz, is that Marvin Gaye put himself in his brother’s shoes as he was returning from the Vietnam War. It was the early 1970s and chaos.

The album starts at a party and ends at church […] Marvin takes us to the head of an addict Flynn High (Friendly Sky), Deals with the environment Mercy Mercy M (Environment) And Police brutality on Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler). ⁇

“He nailed it to the headlines of 50 years later and to this day,” explains David Ritz. Things could be even worse. As this album was recorded yesterday … ”

Not only does David Ritz underscore the deep meaning of the album, but Marvin Gaye also ensured vocal harmony instead of engaging the singers. “It creates the effect of a mirror and a voice wallstock. It pleases the ears, but it implicitly indicates that different Marvin Caesus were conversing together.”

Before his death, which deserved a Greek tragedy, Marvin himself could not reconcile the various aspects. He had conflicting and conflicting voices […]. But on whats going on, He spoke from the heart. ”

You should know that Marvin Gaye experiences great depression in the creating cycle whats going on, David Ritz insists. Tommy Terrell has just died and he is recovering from a monster victory I I asked through the grapes.

“Like he knew he had to get back to the basics of the blues to get out of it … Art allowed him to not go crazy. That’s why. whats going on Such a deep album […]. This is a Christian and gospel album, especially in song God is love It is about faith and salvation. ”

After all, David Ritz argues, “This is an album that will make you happy.” Why? For him Groove Powerful and irresistible.

Dr. Ritz. Trey is producing a film about the life of Marvin Caye.

The spirit of Marvin Caye at the Jazz Festival

For his part, Modibo Keita doesn’t know Marvin Gaye. But he grew up listening to the music of the Montreal trombonist Funk Brothers. “This is very important in my journey, especially after watching the documentary Stands in the shadows of Mottown. ⁇

Anyone who has visited the Mottown Museum in Detroit (we’re lucky) knows that the Funk Brothers have more number 1s than the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and the Elvis … this is Mottown’s House Band, which has revealed many musical legends to the world.

“Unlike a lot of Motown singers other than Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye had a very strong artistic vision. He had a lot of control,” says Modipo Geeta.

Flames

Modibo Quaida has been playing the trombone since he was 13 and attends Saint-Luke High School in Notre Dame-de-Cruz. When he was very young, the Nomadic Massive and the Kalmunity Coalition took him under their wing.

Montreal International Jazz Festival (FIJM) programmers Laurent Sallnier and Maureen Axmerie contact Modipo Quaida to pay tribute to Marvin Gaye at 50^e Birthday whats going onThey said to him: “Do what you want.”

“A show I designed from A to Z. I rewrote all the arrangements for a band of 12 musicians. […]. In my life, I have rarely hosted a concert. This will be a big challenge, ”says Modipo Geeta, who can be seen practicing at the Jazz Festival every year.

“There will be 12 musicians on stage and guests for each song,” he declares (see all names below).

Some tips

Modibo Keida recalled that there was practically only one Marvin Gaye show as a result of the album. He donated in 1972 to the Kennedy Center in Washington. This is the only performance you can see from the album. ”

Modibo wants to introduce Marvin Gaye to anyone who doesn’t know him … “His legacy is huge. Not just for his music, but for the role an artist can play.”

“For me, the context of the show is important. That’s why Modibo allows himself to be distracted on Sundays. whats going on Present a piece Spoken word Written and performed by Montreal poet Jason Blackford Selman. The latter is reminiscent of the context in which the album was released. In the soldier who returns from Vietnam and apologizes for all the problems that affect the community.

“For me, this paragraph is the most important on the show. Maybe more than the others.”

Will Marvin Gaye be disappointed to see that injustices against black society are still relevant in 2021? We will never know.

But even in Montreal, Modipo Quaida sometimes finds it difficult to achieve his place as a black artist. However, he is a philosopher …

Anyway, he is happy with the Carte Blanche given to him by FIJM. Modibo used the opportunity to bring together musicians from many generations of jazz and gospel scenes. “I wanted to recreate the music photo of the black music community in Montreal.”

From New York, we receive the arrival of Jonathan Hort. Other guest singers include rapper Zak Soya, singer-songwriter Honora and soulful singer Grerel, and Modibo Keita’s mentor Malika Trolian.

Before naming all the musicians who come with him on stage, let us recall this sentence which is the title of the album celebrating these 50 phrases.^e Anniversary in 2021.

” whats going on ? ”

Best, hopefully.

Sunday at the Symphonic Border Stage of the Place des Festivals. Free, booking required.

Musicians: Pamela Denise – voice, Chanda Holmes – voice, Romy Gormier – trumpet, Tara Kannankara – trumpet, Nephew Johannes – trombone, Modipo Keita – trombone, Alex Colas – Jeffrey – saxophone, Torque Amery – saxophone, choreographer, courtier Francois – bass, Harvey Bean – Imi – drums.

Guest Singers: Zack Soya, Honora, Clarell, Malika Trolian, Jonathan Hort (also known as J. Hort), Freddie James

Visit the show page