La Moumoute
In French, la moumoute is slang for things that are soft and fuzzy, used often to describe items that keep you warm and cozy. A soft wool blanket, the fleece lining of a coat, or the fuzzy steering wheel cover that protects your hands from winter’s cold are all examples of la moumoute. Throughout the long Maine winters in which these songs were created, our search for all things moumoute became an inspiration for an EP of guitar-based music, written from the perspective of the great French guitarist and composer, Gilles Moumoute, and his wife, vocalist and keyboardist Sheila Moumoute.
For Gilles and Sheila, often credited as the founders of the fuzz-beat genre (a synthesis of funk, jazz, and afrobeat styles), the feeling of warmth and comfort that la moumoute provides was the closest description they could find for what it is like to be immersed in the depths of a good groove. Born Gilles Dujardin, to an aristocratic Parisian family at an unknown date in the 1960s, Gilles was forced to study violin and piano at a young age, and was exposed to the great works of Debussy, Ravel and Satie. However, as a teenager he rebelled against tradition and found his way to the electric guitar, playing free jazz in small clubs, cabarets, or busking on the street. Along the way he met his wife and closest collaborator Sheila Deschanel, known for her powerful singing voice, her vast collection of keyboards, and her affinity for soft and fuzzy clothing.
On one fateful day in Paris, they stumbled upon a performance of Malian musicians playing melodies and rhythms that completely transformed their way of seeing the world; that spoke to their soul; that gave them le feeling. It was like a cozy blanket enveloped their spirits with warm light, born from deep grooves. From that day forward, they dedicated their life’s work to learning how to groove, and to spread warmth throughout the world, by sharing the feeling of la moumoute.
Not only is winter cold, but it is the season with the least amount of light. And just like we reach for something cozy to keep us warm, humor helps to keep our spirits light as we wait for spring to come. With this in mind, although Gilles and Sheila’s spiritual search for “le feeling” was just a silly story that kept us laughing through the short cold days, the music born out of this humor will hopefully make others smile with warmth, as they nod their head to the grooves. We hope you enjoy.
Jessica and Ryan
November 29th, 2024