Frédéric Jouanlong

Photo: Tonio Modio

 


Frédéric Jouanlong has been "several" for a long time: he is a singer, poet, performer, musician, visual artist, dancer, whether he performs alone or accompanied.

He is all at the same time and to do it all, he has only one body and his voice: that is almost enough. Not quite however since he sometimes uses a sampler with which on stage he creates recorded loops of his own voice which he then superimposes on his vocals. This is how he obtains temporal precipitates hich mix what has just been sung with what is sung in the moment and with what may become a part of the song to come. This one-voice polyphony generates a strange sound space whose temporal dimension is improbable. The layers of superimposed voices suggest singular soundscapes populated by composite figures, human and animal, in which it is possible to circulate. He performs on various stages, solo, in duo or within several groups: rock or electronic music groups, actors, dancers. This artistic availability is a sign of great ambition but also indicates that Frédéric Jouanlong will never allow himself to be confined in the too narrow framework of a discipline. He is aware of the fact that other artists have done this before him, from Dada actions to the current performances of artists or sound poets who are references for him. He is a lucid creator who knows how to situate himself in the field of current creation, but what he suggests on stage is often timeless. The past and the distant mingle with the immediate, the rehearsals prepare the surprise. The sound of the words used is often more intelligible than their meaning, and the autonomy of its poetic language operates beyond functional language.

Monique Larrouture-Poueyto