Silent Films and a Live Performance
Nairobi is not short of good looking, smooth-sounding saxophonists and pianists. What Nairobi is missing though, is a sax and piano on a stage, performing live compositions to silent films. Indeed we are also missing silent films here. But for one night, the Alliance Francaise auditorium featured the elaborately expressive French duo “Le Pont de Saveurs” ,meaning the Bridge of Flavours, comprising of saxophonist, Julien Petit and pianist, Guillaume Cherpitel.
Starting with a beautiful solo introduction, Petit takes to the stage and serenades the audience with melodies that resonate from the toes to the pit of the stomach. Cherpitel joins the journey using his laptop, grand piano, two small keyboards for the bass line and a pulsating drum beat. Cherpitels melange of instrumental duties compliments Petits eclectic interpretations.
The first silent film is a show of colour and gestures accentuated by the riveting instrumentation from the talented duo. Petit switches creatively between the alto and soprano saxophone depending on the scenes on screen. Together, the pair escorts the audience to the moon and back.The brief intermission is dramatized by up-beat, high energy tunes from Cherpitel and his small tribe of instruments. Petit then takes us on a verbal walk through Paris in his mother tongue. The second silent film, Paris qui Dort, introduces the audience to a black and white view of Paris life. A life empty of movement except for the hilarious antics of the vibrant cast across the streets of Paris.
Feeling as though time has been bent over backwards, the end of the show arrives too soon with Petit and Cherpitel standing together encouraging the crowd to join in on their jazzy rendition of Malaika. The performance is a unique experience not often seen in Kenya: to go to a concert and be serenaded by words and sounds about a place you’ve never been but can somehow envision.The Bridge of Flavours is so apt a name for this dynamic duo who explore a sleeping Paris under the spell of a scientists experiment.
The duo featured in Nairobi at the European Film Festival at Alliance Française running from 13th May to June 1st
Check out the programme here. Monday they will be showing a silent film accompanied by live piano and saxophone. Entrance for all films is KES 50. Find more details about the week here.
