When a band from Marseille visits Hong Kong, should we expect to hear just another version of reggae dons Massilia Sound System? Not if it is Poum Tchack…

words yvonne teh

Put a violin, a guitar, an accordion, drums and bass – and sometimes an oud – on stage with a singer and you have Poum Tchack, a kind of musical caravan that has become famous all over the world for its huge musical range, Romany passion and infectious humour. The six gypsy rovers are setting up camp locally for Le French May and we caught up with guitarist Olivier Dambezat to discover where they got that name and whether we need our dancing shoes for their concert…

Poum Tchack, Olivier told us, is the sound of the basic rhythm in swing and gipsy music. Take a guitar, strum away on the bass strings: this is a ‘Poum’. Then play the other strings: that is a ‘Tchack’. You have just had your first ‘Poum Tchack’ experience.

What are the names of Poum Tchack’s six members and who plays what?
Lionel Elian Bandoneon supplies the vocals, Jean Philip Steverlynck is our violinist, Emmanuel Reymond plays the double bass, Alexandre Morier variously plays the guitar, banjo and oud (a North African lute), Samuel Bobin plays drums and I play guitar.

Are Poum Tchack’s current members its original line-up?
Yes, they are. Nobody has ever been replaced. We must be very faithful, but above all, everybody in the band has now become a very important piece of the whole musical puzzle, unique and irreplaceable.

How did Poum Tchack come to be?
Some of us were in school together, others were met a little later, but we were all brought together by our common passion for Django Reinhardt, gipsy swing and Eastern European music. In those days, there were not so many people playing this type of-music in France. Our encounter was like a revelation. It worked immediately.

Poum Tchack was formed in Marseille in 1999. Has being from Marseille affected Poum Tchack’s musical style?
I would say Marseille is a city of-mixed-cultures: East, West, North and South all meet in Marseille. Our music is the same.

Poum Tchack’s music has been described as embracing a broad range of musical genres, including Asian. Which Asian musical genres and/or Asian musicians have particularly inspired you?
Our music is above all inspired by gypsy music. As you probably know, the gypsies are a people who-originated from Asia (probably from India) in the 10th century, and brought Asian music with them. In fact, our music is filled with its Asian origins.

Poum Tchack’s music has its own signature style. For those who’ve never heard it, how would the band themselves describe it?
We have often said that we play swing, gypsy and gypsy swing. But that’s a bit short. In fact, those-genres are our rhythmic and harmonic basis, but the Poum Tchack sound does include a lot more influences and feelings. Do we play gipsy jazz with a rock energy, or do we play rock with a gipsy jazz feeling...?

What would be your ideal audience reaction to Poum Tchack’s music?
We definitely want the audience to get crazy, to get up and jump, to dance and break the chairs. But those-who prefer-sitting back and enjoying the show-won’t be forgotten and will enjoy the sweet, beautiful [parts of the] music.

How much has Poum Tchack’s music changed – and in what way – since 2002 when the band released its first album?
Since 2002, we have played around 400 concerts. Our music has changed in a ‘live’ way. This means that we are much more used to enjoying being on stage with a large audience in front of us, giving our best. That’s why the second album (2005) was live, with much more energy.

Poum Tchack is renowned for its live performances. How much touring and performing outside of France does the band do these days? And how much time does the band spend in Marseille?
Being on stage is a real pleasure to us. Eight or nine months a year, we are on tour. Staying in Marseille and working in a studio is now the smallest part of our musical life.

Should we expect to hear a Poum Tchack version of La Marseillaise (the French national anthem)?
Sorry, but we’re not an official band, and playing La Marseillaise is forbidden by law. Thank you for asking.

What else would Poum Tchack like bc’s readers to know?-
We’d say that we are very glad to come for the first time-to Hong Kong, and that we expect many people to come and listen to us. We sincerely believe that listening to our music on stage should be an interesting experience for anyone – very humbly speaking, of course!

Poum Tchack will perform on May 25 and 26 at the Sheung Wan Civic Centre Theatre. The shows start at 8pm. Tickets are $150, $180 and $200 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.