Renat Sette, one of the most charismatic singers of Provençal music, has been collaborating since 1993 with the poet and historian Jean-Yves Royer: Traveling companions in Occitan lands and especially in Haute-Provence. It was therefore quite natural that he should try his hand at composing and shaping these 18 songs taken from Royer's collection of poems "Les temps passats". To do so, he chose as his musical companion his friend and Sardinian guitarist Gianluca Dessì. Instrument and voice are a single body at the service of the poetic text, drawing inspiration from a musical universe with references to tradition but with a contemporary expressiveness.
Since 1993 Renat Sette has collaborated with the poet and historian Jean-Yves Royer. Traveling companions in Occitan lands and especially in Haute-Provence, they worked on the traditional Occitan repertoire and field research in the Forcalquier area. This thirty-year collaboration has enriched many of Renat's shows. The list of his musical encounters is long: in Provence ("Cantar", "Enamorada Madalena"...) but also Piedmont (Dona bèla, Baia trio), Sardinia ("Amada" with the duo Elva Lutza), Brittany ("Chants de Bretagne et d'Occitanie" with Yann Fanch Kemener). Moreover, passionate about poetry, Renat had already set contemporary poets such as Serge Bec and Guy Mathieu into music... It was therefore quite natural that he should try his hand at composing and shaping these 18 songs taken from the collection of poems "Les temps passats" by Jean-Yves Royer.
To do so, he chose among his musical companions his friend and Sardinian guitarist Gianluca Dessì. Already his guitarist in many concerts in France, Italy, Spain, it is he who creates the arrangements. His way of playing means that instrument and voice are a single body at the service of the text. Renat Sette and Gianluca Dessì drew inspiration from a very personal musical universe with references to tradition but with a contemporary expressiveness. The repertoire prefers the poetic structure of the sonnet. The poems tell the emotions of the poet, his relationship with childhood ("L'Odor de Sampechier", "Vaqui que Siam en Mai"), loves ("La Luna ", "Lo Còp Venent Venguet") ; a particular emphasis is placed on the heart ("Un Còr Passit", "T'escoteles"). He also mentions his views on life ("La Vida Fin Finala"), the word...
The warm and powerful voice, the great experience on stage and his important work in oral transmission make Renat Sette one of the most recognized figures of Provençal folk song and of the Occitan tradition in general. Born in Nice, Renat grew up in the culture and language typical of the inland areas of the Province of Nice. Singer of Haute-Provence, among the most charismatic exponents of the revival of Provençal music, he is known for his a cappella performances and collaborations with musical groups from the Mediterranean countries. His discography covers genres ranging from traditional to folk revival, world music and songwriting.
Gianluca Dessì, Sardinian, guitarist / composer with long experience, founded in 2011 the duo Elva Lutza together with trumpeter Nico Casu, to which was then added the precious voice of Ester Formosa. Since 2015 he is guitarist of the historic Sardinian band Cordas et Cannas.
SETTE Renat & DESSI' Gianluca from Felmay Shop
Tracks
1. La vida fin finala (2’27) 2. La luna ei dins son plen (2’33) 3. Un ostau escondut (2’27) 4. Bolhe que bolhiràs (3’03) 5. Coma pèira au molin (2’10) 6. Lo rainard vai bensai (2’18) 7. Voudriáu èsser l’erbum (1’34) 8. Lo còp venent venguet (1’45) 9. Vaquí que siam en mai (2’43) 10. La paraula es un niau (1’50) 11. Espoutit dins la fanga (2’20) 12. Au fliper dau cafè (1’45) 13. Èra de la campanha (1’42) 14. Un còr passit (2’32) 15. L’odor dau sampechier (2’29) 16. D’una raiada d’òdi (2’21) 17. Balalin, balalan (2’56) 18. T’escoteles lo còr (2’14)