Gabriel Yacoub: An Interview and a Tribute

Those who know me well know of my love for singer-songwriters from around the world. Around 30 years ago I developed an interest in French singer-songwriters, both from Quebec and France. It was back then when I discovered Gabriel Yacoub. His voice, words, and presence took me totally off guard and I became deeply attached to his music. I can't remember the source, but I recall years ago reading an article in which Yacoub's voice was described as being like honey. That's a good comparison: sweet and rich, while also full of emotion and texture. 

I was devastated last week to see a post come across my Facebook feed saying that Gabriel Yacoub died on January 22nd at the age of 72. In a time of lots of loss of great musicians, this one is hitting me the hardest thus far. His music penetrated my soul. He wasn't a huge star in the commercial sense, but this is a classic case of "if you know, you know." He was a true artist in more than one sense (he was also a visual artist) and influential to those of us privileged enough to have known his work. 

In 2003, when I was actively working as an arts journalist, I was lucky enough to interview Gabriel Yacoub on the phone. It was published on an earlier version of this website and is one of the few English language interviews with him. I figured this is as good a time as any to republish that interview with the hope that it will help support keeping his memory and music alive. 

Gabriel Yacoub: The Simple Things He Said

If anyone ever compiled a list of the most influential figures in international music, Gabriel Yacoub would likely be at the top.

His name often comes up as someone highly regarded in the realm of World Music -- even though Yacoub himself is not particularly fond of the term. However, since his early musical days as a guitarist with Alan Stivell, then through the 70's fronting the band Malicorne, and on his own solo musical career, Yacoub has spent over three decades incorporating traditional songs and instruments into his repertoire. He also includes his own elegant, provocative songwriting to the mix, which has caught the attention of fellow musicians and listeners alike.

He shows no signs of slowing down. Last year, Yacoub released two new albums: Yacoub in France, and a North America-only release, The Simple Things We Said (first released on PrimeCD and now distributed by Yacoub's own company, Simple). The latter album contains a collection of some of Yacoub's best-known songs presented in their raw, acoustic splendour, along with some traditional tunes, and a few songs in English.

In fact, the album's title track is a translation of what has become Yacoub's signature song, "Les Choses Les Plus Simples," thanks to its coverage by none other than a duet between American folk legend Joan Baez and French singer/songwriter Maxime Le Forestier.

I caught up with Gabriel Yacoub over the phone when he was touring the United States in April. He was in New York taking a few days off, just after opening his opening dates in Philadelphia. He sounded soft-spoken and humble, perhaps not fully aware of the fact that he is one of the most respected singer/songwriters in both folk and World music.

Paula Kirman: This is the second time in a little over a year that you have toured the US - what has brought you back again?

Gabriel Yacoub: Well, actually, we were last here last January in 2002, and the plan was to try to come - well, what I did in the past was to come roughly once a year for a tour. The conditions and the political situations were no great for that tour but we did it anyways.

PK: Do you find there to be any major differences between American Audiences and French audiences?

GY: Yes - the main thing which is more obvious to me, is the way people react. Not only on the part of the audience but most of the time after the show people come and they like to talk and express their feelings and their emotions which is very, very different for us because in France people tend to keep things inside of themselves. They don't want o show their feelings and that is very rewarding in a way because you have a feeling that you gave something to people but they have given it back to you because they react and they come and talk. Very often a lot of people in the audience come and talk, which is really nice.

PK: Last year you released two different albums within a couple of months of each other, one in France and one in the US. What made you decide to do that?

GY: Actually, I was thinking that the records we were releasing in France, in Europe very often are quite produced - you know, lots of musician friends coming, arrangements and things. When I come over here to the USA except for one or two times I came on my own and I think people might be a bit lost, if they listen to the record compared to what they listen to when I am performing live. So I thought I should do a record especially for the American market. The record didn't come out in France, with very few arrangements, all acoustic, and also, a few, like I sing one or two maximum songs in English, so of course I put those two songs on this record. It was directed to the American audience, for people who don't understand a word of French or who like what they see live, the very simple acoustic set.

PK: As someone who sings mostly in French, what do you find are some of the challenges of singing in English?

GY: It's strange to me because when I sing in English I feel like I've got something missing, like a leg or a hand missing. But I like it because I've always listened to American or English music in English music since I was a kid and I really like the sound of the language, but honestly, I feel like I don't have the full potential for singing in English but I know that sometimes people like that. The songs I sing in English are very special also, because one of them was a gift from a very good friend Richard Shindell ["You Stay Here"] - he's a wonderful songwriter and we've been good friends for a very long time, so it was a gift from him so I'm very proud to sing it in English. The other one is a song that I originally wrote in French but that some Anglophone singers wanted to sing in English. The first one to show up was Dave van Ronk, the late Dave who was a very good friend of mine. One day he came to me and said [deepens his voice],"I want to sing this song," but he wanted to sing it in English, so I had it translated.

PK: In some of your songs, both lyrically and musically, you draw a lot upon traditions and folklore. Is keeping traditions alive something that is important to you?

GY: Oh yes, definitely. To me, traditional music is something which is very deeply rooted in me. I've been working on traditional music for almost 30 years now, and it's one of my passions - I really love the poetry, I really love the idioms, musically and poetically. It's also a huge part of my inspiration. When I wrote songs about modern situations like today, the words I would find or the way I would address that would be very strongly inspired by ancient songs, or sometimes I would use words that no one else would use in a song because I just think they are beautiful and they sound beautifully and they really mean exactly what I feel and what I want to say. And also I use old instruments and things like that.

PK: There are also a lot of cultural influences in your music - does your own cultural background influence you musically?

GY: Do you mean my own French cultural background?

PK: French, and also I understand that your father is Lebanese.

GY: That's right - to be honest, I don't feel a connection with that culture. The only things that I learned from his culture was something from a personal approach that I made maybe when I was a teenager, but my father never tried to teach me the language; he didn't speak at all about it - he probably left Lebanon because he didn't want to hear about it anymore and he kept myself and my sister totally away from that. So, if there is any, I think it's probably in the blood somewhere, but it is not cultural really.

PK: You've been credited with being a major influence in what is now known as "World Music, but what do you really think of the term "World Music?"

GY: Well, to be honest I don't like it that much, but I don't like any words that tend to be restrictive. World Music, to me, doesn't mean a thing, because of course, it's the world, and there's music everywhere in the world. But, you know, this is the new way that people sound folklore or traditional music, but to me it doesn't mean a thing. I understand why people use it, because most of the time it means music from other parts of the world but you're always World Music to someone else.

PK: I find that in some of your songs the lyrics that you write are very spiritual, or the themes are spiritual. Does faith or religion influence any part of your life or songwriting?

GY: Well, probably, but I would say philosophy more than faith or religion, because I am very interested and very attracted by any kind of philosophy and religion, not being religious myself but having a deep feeling and a deep admiration for people with faith and I respect that a lot and I think it's a very strong thing, but I am more interested in the way people behave according to their faith than to their faith itself. I don't know if that's very clear, but for example, I am very, very interested in rituals and the way people worship because I think it's a very human feeling and I'm really interested in those things but I don't feel I'm religious myself at all.

PK: How would you describe how you have changed as an artist over the past 30 years?

GY: I don't think I've changed much. I come to my work as a whole, and an evolution. I started at a young age with traditional music as my passion and my inspiration and then slowly and very naturally I changed towards writing my own songs, but there was no break between those things. Now, of course, I am more interested in writing my own songs and performing them, but I still have a strong leaning towards traditional popular and it is still part of my life. I sing traditional songs much better every day [laughs]. So, I think it is a very slow and natural evolution but nothing really special in between except that now I am performing more of my own work than traditional songs.

PK: What musical goals are you still reaching for?

GY: I don't know . . . I don't have goals. Music is part of my life; playing music and writing songs is a part of my life as well as other things like dealing loving people, dealing with people, trying to make the world better, and little things like that, but I don't have a major artistic goal or musical goal. I'm not going to say, "I want be the greatest guitarist on the earth"-- I don't care a whole bunch about this kind of thing, so it's more being able to work, and work in this life surrounded with people I live with and just being myself as well as I can.