Gloria - sacred music by Sylvain Picard

Gloria is ten films for the ears played by four musical accomplices. This luxuriant 10 movement jazz-suite explores the shimmering human adventure. 
 

Origins
"As far as I can remember, I noticed that music has the power to unite people", reminesces Sylvain Picard. "Independently from their origins or their beliefs, during a concert, music will bring people together and unite them. In this communion state, music will bring them in a thousand directions. To use an expression passed on to me by the great pianist Bruno Fecteau, music lives and and vibrates in the "poetic space" of the human being. My goal with Gloria is to touch that poetic space whether it be in a prosperous business woman, an homeless elder, an aspiring politician, a nurse, a construction worker, a street worker, etc. The focus is on the emotions and fortunately these music will contribute to the creation of a state of delightful introspection and celebration."

A commission
GLORIA was commissionned to Sylvain Picard by the Gesù Church (Montréal, Québec). It's goal: create a jazz-mass that respects every aspect of the Roman Catholic traditional mass. For example: in the introduction just before the Eucharist, there is the Introït, a slow and calming piece conductive to creating a meditative atmosphere. Following is the Kyrie, a poignant and heartbreaking piece, like a scar behind the human shell. After that comes the Gloria, which is a joyous piece that is oriented towards the divine. Then the Psalm, which is a struggle between despondency vs hope, anxiety and confidence. And so on. 

Approach
Sacred music tradition goes back a long way. Bach, Mozart, Stravinsky and many others have composed superb offerings. On the jazz side, Duke Ellington composed major sacred works and Charles Mingus often made tongue in cheek reference to it. With standards in mind, composing a mass represented quite a challenge for Sylvain Picard. Instead of flinching under the pressure to do as good or better than those immortals, he decided to focus on the translation of emotions as closely and honestly as possible, not in a competition spirit but in a sincere and joyous sharing state of mind. With this idea music always imposed itself, feeling having precedence over style.

The ensemble
In order to translate the feeling and narrative of each piece, Sylvain Picard surrounded himself with experienced and sensible musicians. First, on tenor and soprano saxophone we find the energetically contagious Yannick Rieu. Then, on trumpet and flugelhorn, with a sometimes rich and soothing, or roaring and screeching sound is Maxime St-Pierre. To propel the ensemble forward is an accompanist with a satin touch doubled by a powerful drive, Guy « de velours » Boisvert. Sylvain Picard colors the sonic landscapes on the guitar.

The sound
There are dream catchers, there are also sound catchers. Rob « Bobby Knobs » Heaney (who won a Grammy award this year) is one of them. His accomplice Mathieu Dulong contributed to the capture of the sonar pulsations.