A week ago I landed in Nantes, France, to begin preparing for the culmination of the “Borders” project with David Chevallier Trio – the tour!
After almost 3 years of writing and preparation, we’ve arrived at the last and most adventurous stage of the project. I have decided to document this period by keeping a little blog. I’ll also try to expand a little on the background of the “Borders” lyrics in my writings here. Why? Whereas in the past I had always written music and lyrics hand in hand, this project was the first time that I had ever only written texts and sent them off to be used by someone else, in this case the magnificent composer and guitarist David Chevallier. The initially intimidating role of a lyricist proved to be rewardingly illuminating, giving me an understanding of the lyrical part of songwriting as an art form in its own right and forcing me to delve deeper into lyric writing than I had done before. Not to mention that the activity itself became so enjoyable over time that I now base my creative process in other projects primarily on text as well.
But before I get to the texts, let me tell you a bit about my first week in Nantes. From Monday to Friday, David Chevallier’s trio and I spent full working days in a basement, at the jazz club Pannonica, rehearsing the “Borders” repertoire, delving into compositions and polishing our interplay. We followed the residency at Pannonica with a weekend of more rehearsals at bassist Sebastien Boisseau’s rehearsal space. As you might imagine, the process was exhilarating, fun, exhausting!
People in the photos: David Chevallier (guitar), Joachim Florent (bass), Christophe Lavergne (drums), Sebastien Boisseau (bass)
In the evenings, I was able to take quick strolls around the centre of Nantes before dark, gawking at the beauty of the city and the appetising selection in food stores, admiring the beautiful French people and their stylish shoes, lusting after the elegant displays in the boutique windows and treating a slight cold with plenty of tea and honey. And in case you’re interested in the weather, it’s been grey and damp all week, with vitamin D still replacing the sunshine for me, just like in Estonia. 🙂
Now about the project itself, the big creation! In the framework of “Borders”, David and I collaboratively wrote 11 songs. My part was the lyric writing, precisely 6 texts in Estonian and 5 in English. The first two texts, “Et piirata piirituid piire” (“To Limit the Limitless Limits”) and “Escape”, were written in the autumn of 2022, while I was a refreshingly confused exchange student living in Cologne, Germany.
“Et piirata piirituid piire” (“To Limit the Limitless Limits”) means everything and nothing at the same time. The song speaks of the unfathomable vastness within us and around us, which we try so hard to simplify by putting everything into conceptual boxes, by confining and defining our identities, by contrasting the bad with the good. How is it possible to be both distinct and conforming, both selfish and considerate, both free and controlled?
Extract of the text in Estonian:
Et piirata piirituid piire,
ma lähetan end sinna,
kus olen vaid liivatera,
peidus kumeras maailmanabas.
Translation:
To limit the limitless limits
I exile myself to a place,
Where I am but a grain of sand,
Hiding in the curve of this world.
“Escape” is a story of exile, hope and uncertainty. The text is inspired by the descriptions and emotions of war refugees’ experiences.
Extract of the text:
There, on the opposite shore,
Not a sound from a gun,
And the sun never fades,
Before the setting has begun,
Are distant gates to heaven,
Now open once and for all?
No promise, song or letter,
Ever reached over the wall.
This week our tour begins! Tomorrow we play a short duo concert with David in Nantes, and then on to trio concerts in different parts of France.
“Borders” in France:
5.11/ 6 Rue de Bel Air, Nantes (duo)
6.11/ Pannonica, Nantes
7.11/ Le VIP, Saint-Nazaire
8.11/ Le Sunset, Paris
9.11/ La Fraternelle, Saint-Claude
I cannot wait to see more of this beautiful country, its venues and audiences. Wish us luck and I will do my best to continue sharing impressions of the tour!