The blog from Yves Duteil

Jean Dufour was my talent agent for many years. It was also that of many artists, including Felix Leclerc, and was the architect of our meeting in the Isle of Orleans facing the city of Quebec. We lived together in large and beautiful moments. He has just published "Stolen Portraits" (The waterfront Editions), here are extensive excerpts from what he has anointed me (illustrated by Jose Correa) ...

YVES DUTEIL A fragrance of eternity

During the years 1970-1980, Claude Déjacque, artistic director at Philips has often been considered a true artist. Talented, discreet, malicious, he was fully aware of the privileged to occupy the place he advised the wisest, most efficient, most favorable to the development of their careers. He had a nostalgic look, his face slightly inclined, soft-spoken, as if he could not forget some painful memories of a life of adventure. We worked together in preparing and promoting a series of albums with Félix Leclerc was the agent. He supervised the recordings and I proposed text and photos for the covers and press releases. Full trust, and friendship brought us together. So it is not chance that made me pick up the phone one day in 1977.

- "John, do you know Yves Duteil? "

- "I know a few songs, including turns, I like a lot, but I never met the artist. "

- "It is now at City Theatre. Want to see? "

- "I really work, but I will. "

I can easily imagine the meaning of his statement and stand a prudent reserve. I can not work with people I feel alive and that I appreciate the talent ... Some artists, not least, have already applied for a collaboration which I knew by instinct more than reason, that n 'no result. But Déjacque is the reference. The Theatre is sold out. Yves Duteil from the scene quietly. He is tall, thin guitar on a set of jeans, the hair to the shoulders. It responds to the applause of a discrete inclination of the torso ... and starts. An hour of magic to a room quivering with happiness. For both signing and questions which he answers with surprising gentleness. No doubt it has happened something. An event free from the music hall. The revelation of a great song by the text, music and voice. In short, a rarity among artists of his generation. All these considerations and a lot of thoughts cluttering my thoughts returned to my office where Sylvie Dupuy, who shares my responsibilities, waiting for me, between skepticism and irony.

- "So? You've yet to have ... "

But this is no longer an issue. She understood. Two days later, we find ourselves in the office. He is accompanied by Noelle, his wife. More closely, her long hair framing a face with fine features and regular. I am impressed by the liveliness of the eyes and the availability of the smile. The simplicity of our setup does not seem to worry about. (...) The first meeting foreshadows an agreement cloudless. All parameters are defined, studied, quantified uncompromising, but above all, love of work well done, an unfailing loyalty and mutual respect which is added that of the public that are the basis of our agreement. (...)

It was then that the unexpected will happen. Félix Leclerc began a tour that will take him to the major regional capitals. A Montelimar, that night, an alley leads to the winds from the lodge to the scene. It is very cold, wet cold very different from, continental, Quebec. Felix the bronchi do not resist. Ill, he is forced to stop and regain the recitals Belle Province to attend the emergency treatment for the condition. Dismay, sadness, but it must react quickly. I ask the producer Pathé-Marconi, where Yves records, to give me fifty copies hors commerce of the double album he has recorded so I can send them to the organizers of the tour Leclerc, accompanied by a press kit . We modify some of the timing and routes. The tour is saved and Yves Duteil is on the orbit of the success he never left. (...)

In Brussels, where, thanks to his time, his record company held a celebration in his honor, an elderly gentleman comes to me, dressed in black and wearing astrakhan: "I wish, Sir, to meet Yves Duteil . "

- "It's about what, sir, and who do I tell? "

In a radiant smile of pride:

- "I am the father of the artist"

This moment of emotion has not left my memory. Here it is much torn the veil of uncertainty that could oppose a father to his son once again asserts itself in nature and a willingness velvet mask which, in spite of painful trials, sarcasm and disillusionment will not disarm .

Yves Duteil, with his acoustic guitar and acoustic music does not claim anything other than fidelity to his convictions, which confuses some criticism. (...) And Yves Noëlle live the story of a couple passionately united and invincible in an environment sometimes aggressive on the lookout for all events. Take the triumph of a child elected song of the century in 1987 by a popular poll on the initiative of RTL and Canal + triggers a stream of critical derision and malicious. (...)

In the meantime, and for a tour in Quebec, he met Félix Leclerc and won his friendship. When he returned to Montreal, two years later with the language at home he received the ovation the most moving of his career. His fight to defend the French language will not be alone. Twenty years of collaboration with Pathé Marconi EMI saw became a nightmare. The new President of the firm causes a conflict that will last ten years. During this difficult period, Yves will have to fight to impose his talent and confirm its magnificent course. He will find warm BMG understanding which will enable it to assert its commitments in the following language from home. The next album pays tribute to the struggle for Peace and Justice with revealing titles such as The Tibetan who resists oppression Chinese Dreyfus, which he is the great-nephew, and Grand'pèreYitzhaak, Yitzhaak Rabin, victim he, too, intolerance of his time.

My relationship with Dreyfus allowed me, beyond the "case", to evoke the man, through those who knew and loved Yves Duteil said.

While not against the current, the convictions of Yves, commitments are not in the sense of ease that sells. It then enters a phase of counting the stage alone can ennoble. This close contact with the public will not stop, despite the trials that lie ahead.

In 1999, he decided to present his recital, always acoustic, stripped in a formula that emphasizes authenticity. He prepares his return to Bobino with his pianist, Michel Précastelli and should reconsider the colors of its success without affecting the essential: the quality of its lyrics and the music, served by the sincerity and purity of interpretation.

Difficult year, as painful Noelle is sick and is fighting with a courage that is admired by his family and stimulates the determination of the team in preparing the new show. Once again, the public is by appointment, conquered by the complicity and the emotion that emanates from this duo. The old gentleman in the astrakhan cap leaves this world which has a small-son. Life goes on ...

We must continue to challenge the weight of grief and poor jokes. It seems that the natural kindness of a man has become detrimental to his talent is recognized and loved by the public, but easily ignored by the irony of the media. Duteil not cause. It reflects modestly in all grades of the fight that leads into a new album without waiting, and his confidence in the future. (...) While echoing the fury of the world, he continued his meetings with the public rate of 70 concerts per year. Highways in Santiago pilgrimage and rough paths of the GR 20, in the heart of Corsica, which is also his home base, he traveled the route in the serenity of a man open to the realities of his time. (...)

The pediment of the City Council Précy sur Marne, the Tibetan flag flown alongside the French flag. The wisdom of the East and the Dalai Lama inspires this symbol of freedom fraternal mayor of the municipality. "I am a paradox! "He said, baptized Catholic by her parents in a Jewish family anchored to the memory of Captain Dreyfus. I found today Yves Duteil as I knew him. Warm, friendly, accomplice of my torment and my little pleasures, discreet and this at a time. I often regret having prematurely ended my career in Paris. But dreams vanish in the morning. Nothing prepared me for such responsibilities whose success has dazzled me with a brilliance that I must first artists who honored me with their trust and their friendship. That's what I thought that's almost thirty years on the road to Figari to Porto-Vecchio, shaken by the arguments of Yves, who was associated with friendship to dissuade me the reason to stop We lived separately tests particularly difficult and if I beat in time, the color of my white plume is solely responsible. I have just experienced an intense emotion, one evening in July, as part of Festival Pause guitar Albi. Before a huge audience, enthralled by the artistic quality of the recital and human, in sharing a sunset radiating from the stage and the pink brick of the cathedral, Yves Duteil has once again offered the fullness of his art.

I take my conclusion Néry, (interviewed by Robert Migliorini in the Cross of May 16, 2009): "I sincerely hope that people who have the same prejudices as those I have had previously found the opportunity to discover the Yves Duteil today and man it can be simple. Prejudice is a simplistic version of the self-assurance, and if it agrees to its passions and certainties in the pot for those around us, so I think it comes out of gold and true human values. "

Stolen Portraits, Jean Dufour (The Waterfront, editions)

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