Roman: Emmanuelle Pol, a story of love and jazz

Emmanuelle Pol was born in Milan, a French mother and an Italian father, she has grown in Switzerland and has lived in Brussels for 25 years. We can therefore grant him in a way the status of Belgian writer. His novel, precisely, is tinged with “Bruxellitude” behind the jazz melodies. Because it is first jazz that it is. And Jan of course, but he is a jazz pianist, and famous worldwide, then …

The narrator – she is 60 years old as the author – between one evening in a jazz club in Brussels, to break her loneliness a little. And she falls under the spell of music and Jan. A Flemish, sweet, talented musician, who turns out to be a loving companion and a remarkable lover. At her age, we know that we can no longer let her chance: she invests in this couple and in this love. But without ever losing a certain clairvoyance. Because Jan is a complicated man (like all artists?), His childhood was difficult, his mother is revising and authoritarian, his friend Jozef is arrogant and profiteer. But Jan is so exciting that she does everything to protect him.

This novel is the story of a love on jazz music. A love of sixties, with its share of last chance and tenderness. Emmanuelle Pol tells her with her usual talent: in scraps and songs, a puzzle -style that the reader gradually assembles. Jan’s childhood, his complex relationship with his mother, his toxic friendship with Jozef, his full investment in jazz, the tyranny of creation, his way of enjoying playing almost with everyone, even beginners, his last recording session, sublime … It is jazz that binds the text, which gives it its flavor, its swing, its groove, its blue note. And we can say that Emmanuelle Pol talks about it superbly.

Enter jazz and writing

Each chapter is preceded by music told by words of incredible liveliness. For Chapter I: “It settles slowly. Bulky trumpet, we play on velvet. Long spaces between sentences, hypnotic agreements, planing curls. It seems simple, but it is a scientist counterpoint, a lot of suspension notes. Fragility, sensitivity, its muffled on the edge. The end of each piece looks like a sigh. ” And Chapter II: “A drop of Bossa-Nova in jazz. A drop of saudade in the heart. A lemon slice in vodka. A ray of sunshine in the rain. The melody is advancing slowly, marched like a girl’s ass. ” But also, chapter XI: “Free-jazz. More themes. More canvas. No more harmony. No more tempo. Almost more swing. No more melody. Deconstruction, rupture, dispute. Barricades, throwing of paved and howled slogans. It is violent, aggressive, chaotic, like the convulsions of a dying society. ”

She can write, Emmanuelle Pol! She knows how to intertwine music, Jan, their love, bad omens, drama sometimes, misunderstanding too, sweetness and violence, the search for serenity. And Belgium. She has very hard and very tender words for her adopted country. Like the narrator, she sometimes wanted to leave this unlikely and this strange and fascinating city that is Brussels, but she never materialized this drive. In fact, it is good here. As JAN always says the unfathomable: “Everything is fine!”

This article was written by The eveningBelgian member of the Lena information network.

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