Interview Alexis Pazoumian

« It’s a timeless place, music is felt on every street corner, from the Gospel church to children playing the trumpet on the doorstep. »

What is the starting point of this series? The moment you decided to work on this subject and why?
My starting point was Treme with his Baptist church (« Mount Zion Baptist Church ») but my documentary took place in several districts (9th Ward, Marigny, Musician Village, etc…). What made me want to discover New Orleans was above all because I am a jazz fan and I regularly followed musicians from New Orleans. During my stay, a musician advised me to watch the magnificent series « TREME » by David Simon (The Wire). At each episode I recognized actors, and musicians that I had met the same day, the day before a concert, it was incredible it allowed me to soak up the place very quickly. Also, discovering the neighborhood in which Jazz was born was impressive for me, it is a timeless place, and the music feels at every corner of the street, going from the Gospel church to children playing trumpet on the doorstep. Jazz clubs and bars. Music is everywhere and has been integrated into all aspects of life, mixed with the many local cultures. I used to run a regular school band training to march down the street to get ready for Mardi Gras. All the inhabitants have a more or less direct link with music.

At the moment you made your decision you can tell me in summary what are the personal and practical steps you have taken?
To be perfectly honest I went to New Orleans without any contact and very little preparation. I had a brief idea of what I wanted to talk about, but I had to be there to get a clear idea of the place. I rather work on the spot and instinct and I generally stay for a long time just to take the time to make contacts understand where I am and study my subject. For my last project in Siberia, I tried to organize it beforehand this time to save time. So the steps are very complicated for Russia to have access to these remote areas. I managed to get in touch with the French Alliance, a university that hosted me in exchange for a few photo courses, etc. So from now on, I will proceed in this way, the easiest way is to meet French people who live there or organizations.

« Steven Walker asked me to come home, he was rehearsing with his band… » In one day we went from house to house to meet his musician friends. He took his trumpet and saxophone with him. It was an unforgettable moment, that day I met Chuck the former double bass player of Fats Domino and then I returned by chance to Al Johnson, a legend of music known in the 60’s and 70’s »

Once there, what are the first contacts with the first opportunities/constraints that you have launched in your project?
I discovered a magical place, the musician village, a neighborhood rebuilt after Katrina thanks to international aid to rehabilitate the poor musicians of New Orleans. I walked around this neighborhood every day to meet legendary musicians from New Orleans. There was no one on the street, it was August, it was very hot and no one would open the door for me. Then one day I heard the sound of saxophone notes, I went in front of the house, I didn’t dare to knock on the door because I had already had a lot of bad experiences. Steven Walker offered me to come home, he was rehearsing with his band, he’s a very talented young musician, and he was preparing his second album. One day we went from house to house to meet his musician friends. He took his trumpet and saxophone with him. It was an unforgettable moment, that day I met Chuck the former double bass player of Fats Domino then I returned by chance to Al Johnson, a legend of music known in the ’60s and ’70s. Then I found out my mother was a big Al Johnson fan. All these encounters were essential for the continuation of my documentary, moreover, a real bond of friendship was created that day.

I like this photo of the girl at the fence, can you tell me more about this moment?
I photographed this girl behind the fence when I was on my way to Saint Augustine High School. She was observing the young students of the school marching by with a marching band. In New Orleans, in high school, young students choose early on between sports and music. Those who choose music lessons dream of becoming a jazz star. I went to meet these students at Saint Augustine High School, a military school famous in New Orleans for its brass band. There are about 120 young men between the ages of 11 and 18. They train three or four hours a day. They begin music lessons in a classroom and then play outside in a courtyard, summer or winter, which allows them to learn the choreography and to perform in real-life situations on Tuesdays. At the end of their training, they return to school in band formation. All the inhabitants observe them on their doorstep.

If you have to take out a photo or a moment of this series that you think is symbolic of your project?
One photo that particularly touches me is the Indian (Big Chief) I had a hard time getting in touch with this community and they trust me. On the day of Mardi Gras, I followed this Indian tribe with the Big Chief at the head of the procession, it was an exceptional moment when they accepted that I document their day. And I am quite proud of this portrait taken on the spot I asked him to stop for a few seconds and I had the right to only one photo in medium format. This photo is quite representative of my experience on the spot, both complicated but full of surprises.

I’d like to get out of the picture and talk to you about cinema for me, it’s important from a personal point of view but I feel this impression in your work you were talking about the excellent series « Treme » is cinema having an influence?
Indeed I am a true cinephile, in parallel to photography I have also been a director for several years and I am writing for my first short film. The films of Win Wenders (Paris Texas) and the first films of Iñàrritu (like Love Dog) inspire me immensely in my work as a photographer. But also Stanley Kubrick, James Gray, Akira Kurosawa, Milos Forman, Scorsese’s first films (The King of Comedy, new-york new-york, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver), Paul Thomas Anderson, Copolla, Hitchcock. Many more, but here are the ones that come to mind first.

Finally, do you have an idea that you have in mind if you can tell us about it even quickly about your future desires and projects?
As I said earlier, I’m preparing a short film about a gypsy community in the south of France that I’ve been working with and photographing for some time. Also, my new documentary photo series is about a family of reindeer herders in Yakutia (Siberia region), I am studying the impact of global warming on this region through this community.