In his early days, jazzman André Manoukian played in cabarets.

Since then, he has enjoyed great success and covers the songs of big names in the song.

Like those of Serge Gainsbourg in his new tribute album.

The jazz pianist tells about his career at the microphone of Anne Roumanoff in the program "It feels good" on Europe 1, Thursday. 

INTERVIEW

From piano bars to the Nouvelle Star plateau, André Manoukian has experienced a great ascent in the world of jazz.

He is today a composer recognized in his community.

Thursday, he was invited on the program

Ça fait du bien

on Europe 1 to present a new tribute album of piano cover of songs by Serge Gainsbourg.

The jazzman then spoke of his beginnings in the Lyon cabarets. 

"A very complicated exercise"

Before meeting success, André Manoukian played in bars.

"A very complicated exercise", according to the jazzman.

"You have to make sound without disturbing too much. The only people who come to see you are either to ask you for improbable songs or to ask you to lower it a bit", he explains.

Sometimes he was interrupted by a customer: "It's my aunt's birthday, don't you wanna play happy birthday please?"

>> Find all of Anne Roumanoff's shows from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Europe 1 in replay and podcast here

It was in Lyon, in the city where he was born, that his career as a pianist began.

At the time, he played in a cabaret called "L'Ambiguë".

"I even accompanied a striptease number that ended in 'full nude', as Charles Aznavour said!", Laughs André Manoukian.

Parisian hotels in Boston 

Upon arriving in Paris, the pianist was hired to perform in hotels.

But these establishments are a bit special.

"We had hijacked them a bit because it always ended in a jam session!"

Understand, in "improvisation session".

Following an audition, André Manoukian joined the prestigious Berkeley Music School in the city of Boston, in the United States. There, he learns essential methods. "When I arrived, I was given a half sheet of paper on which there were all the secrets of improvisation," he recalls. Well-kept secrets that allowed him to forge his path towards a busy career.