“HIGH C” IS MORE THAN JUST THE BRAND OF A GERMAN ORGANGE JUICE.
ABOVE ALL, IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST AND THEREFORE MOST DIFFICULT NOTES TO MASTER IN THE MUSCIAL REPERTOIRE. IT IS ALSO NONE AS CONTRA C AND LIES AN OCTAVE ABOVE THE UPPER C OF THE STANDARD REGISTER.HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTE VALUES IN MUSIC, SO THIS IS MORE OF AN UPWARD SCALE THAN A FINAL VALUE.
ON THE 7TH OF NOVEMBER 1955, THE JAZZ MUSICIAN LOUIS ARMSTRONG LANDED IN SWITZERLAND FOR A SECOND CONCERT IN ZÜRICH. AT THAT TIME, ARMSTRONG WAS ALREADY ONE OF THE INTERNATIONAL STARS OF JAZZ MUSIC. NOT ONLY DID HE POSSESSED THE ABSOLUTE PITCH, I.E. THE ABILITY TO PLAY SCORES AT WILL, BUT HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO REACH THE “HIGH C” WITH HIS TRUMPET. FORMER JAZZ MUSICIAN DOC CHEATHAM RECALLS THAT ARMSTRONG PRODUCED NOT JUST ONE OR TWO HIGH CS PER CONCERT, BUT SOMETINS I COULD PRODUCED 15 OF THEM! HOWEVER, IT IS NOT GENERALLY KNOWN THAT LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S TRUMPET TECHIQUE SEVERELY INJURED HIS LIPS. THIS LED TO EXTREMELY PAINFUL ABSCESSES, WHICH HE HAD TO PEIRCED WITH A NEEDLE BEFORE GOING ON STAGE.THIS DYI OPERATIONS COULD ONLY, PARTIALLY AND TEMPORARILY ALLEVIATED THE PAIN. ACCORDING TO DANNY BARKER, A FORMER GUITARIST, IT WAS ARMSTRONG’S LIPS THAT MADE HIM SING AND INVENT THE “SCAT”.
THE PROJECT “HICH C” FOCUSES THEREFORE ON THESE PAINFUL BUT INDISPENSABLE ASPECTS OF THE ARTISTIC PROCESS AND ATTEMPS TO RECONCILE THE PERFECTION OF THE RESULTS OR OUTPUTS WITH THE “UPS AND DOWNS” OF THE PROCESS.