Philippe Elan: Following my symphonic chanson album with Het Residentie Orkest, this new recording «Quelques mots d’amour» takes me back to the roots of my singing, accompanied by Reyer Zwart with whom i have been collaborating for the last 19 years. After our initial collaboration in 2002, i started to ask him, not to say, push him, to accompany me in a tour de chant where he would play guitar and piano, according to the nature of each song and to what we thought was the best colour of accompaniment for it. This collaboration grew further through the years to reach a level which fulfills me as a vocalist, as a chansonnier, in a way that when I sing accompanied by Reyer, i feel as free as a bird to express myself musically and to phrase my text without any constraint.

The last year and a half has been difficult for most singers and musicians…Yet, amidst this painful time period, Reyer and I were able to give a few concerts, some of them being fortunately recorded. We added a couple of studio recordings to our selection of concert performances and I am very pleased that Challenge Records International is releasing this collection of songs. «Quelques mots d’amour», the title track of the album, written by Michel Berger, is my sincere message to all of you dear listeners…I just want to sing for you these few words of love, today and tomorrow, in between all the vicissitudes of our lives.