Caged Bird : Marion Rampal à l’écoute d’Abbey Lincoln

Marion Rampal rend hommage à Abbey Lincoln, icône du jazz engagé et militante du Black Power, en reprenant « Caged Bird » sur son album Song For Abbey. Née à Chicago en 1930, Abbey Lincoln a marqué la musique américaine par sa voix, ses textes et son engagement politique, collaborant avec des légendes comme Max Roach ou John Coltrane. Avec sensibilité et profondeur, Marion Rampal prolonge ce geste de mémoire, explorant l’esprit et la force d’une artiste qui considérait le jazz comme un outil de construction du caractère.

The birds who live in cages
never spread their wings
They sit with ruffled feathers
upon their tiny swings
and speculate the birdseed
and while away the day
tuck their heads in feathers
of colorful arrays

I know why the caged bird sings
a sweet and soulful song
I know why the caged bird sings
when everything seems wrong
I know why the caged bird sings
and flaps his tethered wings
birds were made to fly away
and birds were made to sing

The birds who live in cages

I feel the morning sun
shining through the window
where the captain lives by gun
and stretches forth his body
and warbles for the day
moves his head from side to side
and listens for the way

I know why the caged bird sings
a sweet and soulful song
I know why the caged bird sings
when everything seems wrong
I know why the caged bird sings
and flaps his tethered wings
birds were made to fly away
and birds were made to sing

Avec cette reprise, Marion Rampal ne se contente pas de chanter : elle réveille l’esprit d’Abbey Lincoln, ses combats, sa liberté et sa rage de vivre, et nous invite à redécouvrir une voix et un message qui résonnent toujours aujourd’hui.