THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2010
6
MusicMaker
A master on a
mission by Mike Joyce
If you have big plans for a pocket-size instru- ment, it doesn’t hurt to have Stevie Wonder in your corner. Or Prince or Erykah Badu or the Jo- nas Brothers. Or for that matter, comedian Dave Chappelle. That’s just the case for D.C. harmonicist Frédér-
ic Yonnet, who kicks off the
Goingoutguide.com’s free Weekend Summer Concert series tonight at Carter Barron Amphitheatre. Think we’re kidding? Chappelle touts in a 2006 YouTube video that he introduced Wonder to Yonnet, who had the nerve to pull out his harmonica and blow a little. “I was worried for him,” cracks Chappelle. “Now they hang out every Tuesday and Wednesday.” Well, maybe not that often, but whenever Won- der comes to town, Yonnet can expect a call. The two last teamed up when Wonder played Verizon Center in May. Unlike Wonder, who plays a chromatic har- monica designed to navigate a 12-note scale, Yon- net has mastered its diatonic cousin, the compact harmonica mostly favored by folk, blues and rock musicians. In Yonnet’s hands, however, the small- er harp is capable of sustaining remarkably fluid, jazz-inspired improvisations without compromis- ing its inherently soulful character. Others have explored a similar path — Yonnet points to How- ard Levy, best known for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, as an early influence — but make no mistake: Yonnet is on a mission to open ears and minds. “It’s a been a constant effort to convince and al- most convert people to the full potential of the in- strument,” the 37-year-old French native says from his home on Capitol Hill. “So many people have been used to hearing the harmonica as a side in- strument, almost a toy, they don’t take it seriously. And musicians are the first ones not to take it seri- ously.” A former drummer accustomed to lugging a
bulky kit from gig to gig, Yonnet was seduced by the harmonica’s portability — that and a certain je ne sais quoi. “There’s something so amusing about the har- monica that is undeniable,” he says. “It fits in your pocket, it’s inexpensive, it creates this wide range of sounds — it can sound like a violin, a saxo- phone, a guitar and sometimes even like a har- monica. The very convenience is definitely a plus, and on top of that it’s underestimated.” The harp remains his “best friend,” Yonnet says,
but playing the instrument has always posed sig- nificant challenges. Early on, he fixated on one question: “How do you create a chromatic scale on a diatonic harmonica?” With practice and a lot of trial and error, Yonnet says, came the solution and the rewards. “Once you pass through that door,
The free
Goingoutguide.com’s Weekend Summer Concerts at Carter Barron Amphitheatre feature a variety of music from top local talent.
Tonight at 7:30: Jazz Night with Frédéric Yonnet, Nasar Abadey and Supernova
June 25: Reggae Night with Strykers Posse, Yawd Lynk and Tony Roy, and Proverbs Reggae Band
July 9: Neo Soul Night with V. Rich, Maimouna Youssef and Afi Soul
July 16: International Beat Night with Chopteeth, Sin Miedo and Funk Ark
FRANK JACKSON Frédéric Yonnet: “It’s a been a constant effort” to convince people of the harmonica’s potential.
there are so many more colors and options for sound, basically, colors to express yourself. It’s like the colors on your musical palette are multiplied.” Not surprisingly, some prominent pop stars
have been eager to draw from Yonnet’s palette, in- cluding Prince, who frequently showcases the har- monicist as his “special guest” in concert. Badu and the Jonas Brothers have also collaborated with him. But Yonnet is devoting most of his time these
days to pursuing his dreams as a solo recording artist. “Reed My Lips,” his third CD, will be out lat- er this year. A smart blend of contemporary jazz, pop, blues, funk and hip-hop, the album is likely to broaden his following. And thanks to an inter- active online feature, fans can sample tracks and help shape the final mixes and artwork by pur- chasing a “Reality CD” download card on his Web site or at concerts. “The idea is to share with the audience the mu-
sic before it’s complete, in several key points in the creative process,” Yonnet says. “It’ll be interesting to have the audience give me some input: what they like, what they hear and what kind of shape they want the project to take.” Several notable pop artists, including Badu, are also contributing comments and suggestions that
are posted on the site, adding to the discussions. No doubt additional feedback will come from local fans who first became acquainted with Yon- net when he was an artist in residence at the Mu- sic Center at Strathmore in 2006. The experience, he recalls, was invaluable. “They’re really putting their money where their mouth is by mentoring artists they believe in,” Yonnet says. “We still have an amazing relationship today. They actually helped push me to write a commission piece at a time when I was having difficulty focusing.” Still, nothing excites Yonnet more than the op-
portunity to perform in concert, primarily be- cause he’s an improviser at heart. When he shares the bill with Nasar Abadey and Supernova at Car- ter Barron, he’ll be unveiling some new tunes, but more important, he and his horn-powered ensem- ble plan to be fully engaged with the audience. “Every time I perform, my band is on its toes be- cause they know I’m going to flip the script on them,” he says, explaining that he’s constantly re- acting to the crowd response. “It’s a conversation of energy, basically. I feel the excitement and I’m giving the excitement back to them.”
weekend@washpost.com
Joyce is a freelance writer.
To download songs by Frédéric Yonnet and Nasar Abadey, visit
goingoutguide.com/ music. And check back each week for songs by other acts at the Carter Barron concerts.
Free tickets (maximum four free tickets per adult) are distributed the day of performance at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and at the Carter Barron box office, 16th Street and Colorado Avenue NW, beginning at noon. Tickets go fast! For more information, call The Post at 202-334-6808 or the Carter Barron concert line, which will have updated information on weather-related cancellations, at 202-426-0486. All concerts start at 7:30 p.m.
IF YOU GO
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