Jazzblog.ca by Peter Hum

Peter's "Take Five" interview with Rachel

March 25, 2002 La Rotonde Newspaper (translated by Rachel Beausoleil)

Culture and Society

Rachel Chantal launches her first album
A “jazzy” lady

Warm, Rachel Chantal openly recounts her journey as a jazz singer. An uncommon journey which lead her to self-produce a show, last Thursday, at the National Arts Centre (NAC). Joisanne Haspeck Born in Montreal, she moves to Ottawa after finishing one year of college studies. She obtains first a bachelor’s degree in Russian to finally work in the public service. A few years later, her job is strangling her. So she decides to return to study. She then gets a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music. Since then, she has been teaching voice and sight singing.

Her passion for jazz is not innate, but came later in life. “I took a jazz improv class during my bachelor’s […] I was the only singer in the class,” she underlines. It was through singer Holy Cole that she really discovered this style of music, since in her childhood it was rather 50’s music and classical which dominated.

During three consecutive summers, she participates in the Ottawa Jazzworks camp. There she meets musicians and forms, with four of them, the group Sonic Circle. The band dissolved as a result of scheduling conflicts. In the same years, she is the leader of a Latin jazz band, Caoba.

Last July, while she was eight months pregnant, she decided to take a chance and record her first CD, Close to my heart. “Amiel wanted to sing with me, she was dancing in my belly,” adds the mother of a pretty little girl. Her disc is mainly composed of ballads. She explains this choice by saying: “I wanted to make a disc that held together […] a disc that people would listen to over supper to create an ambiance.” She dedicated it to her baby who, one way or another, participated in the production of the this project.

It is in an intimate atmosphere that she came onto the 4th Stage at the NAC. Accompanied by three musicians, she presented the songs of her new album. It is with the song Les moulins de mon coeur that she opened the show. Her clear and sober voice was featured from this very moment as she began to sing a cappella. It goes to show how well her nervousness was under control.

She interpreted a mixture of French, English and Spanish songs which transported the public throughout the entire evening. Rachel Chantal knew how to create a good rapport with the audience, making them laugh several times. Her love for song is palpable. She has fun on the stage: she smiles and laughs. We feel that she gives to the public and at the same time the public gives a lot back to her.

For the future, she is planning to send a submission to the Ottawa Jazz Festival. When La Rotonde asked her if she would be doing the same for Montreal, she straightens her back, takes a serious look and in a decisive tone responds “yes!” before breaking out laughing. Her plan with this new “baby,” is to try to bring it throughout the country.” She admits she “would like to break through with this album.”

Biographical notes:

For over 15 years, singer Rachel Beausoleil has been performing at private and corporate functions, cultural events and clubs and restaurants in the Ottawa area. Currently, Rachel is promoting her new album, The Dawning, which features her powerful and dynamic 3 and a half octave range against an intimate backdrop of piano and bass. The Dawning is the follow-up to Rachel’s first recording, Close to My Heart, released in 2002. Over the years, Rachel has performed with numerous ensembles, including mainstream, Latin, and a cappella jazz combos, as well as a classic rock band. She sings in 7 languages. Rachel’s influences include Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Jeri Brown, and Maria Callas and other great voices of the 20th century.

Notable Quotes about Rachel

The late Seattle trumpeter and vocalist Floyd Standifer Jr. called her “a great talent.”

“Her love for song is palpable.”—Joisanne Haspeck, La Rotonde newspaper

Click for high resolution version of image