Pronounced....How?

chip3174

So I need some help here, recently I was chastised by one of my american manouche elders that Matelo Ferret's first name should be pronounced "MAT-lo", I was pronouncing it "ma-TEL-o." Which one is right?

Thanks,
Chip The Still Somewhat Newbie

Joli Gadjo

Chip,

Matelot is actually also a noun (means sailor), and people would normally say [matlo] in two syllables. Ferre's name should be pronounced the same way.
BUT : I don't think there's anything wrong if you say [ma-tel-o]. I would actually think that if you would talk about him with a friend, you'd say matlo, but if you would introduce him to a bigger audience, let's say at a concert before you play Chez Jacquet, you would probably accentuate your prononciation and say matelo with 3 syllables.
The first one would simply more common and more used, but the other one isn't that incorrect.

dennis

or u can make a fool of yourself and pronounce it Mah Tee Low

Joli Gadjo

Indeed, but it would be with the canadian accent then !!

Teddy Dupont

But is it "Mat lo" or "Matl o"?

Joli Gadjo

Man that's tough to explain !!!

Written in english, the closest I can think of would be :

Matt low

scot

To settle this, here is a clip of Matelot Ferret playing a solo Tea for Two at a 1986 concert. At the very beginning you can hear Francis Moerman introduce him, he says Mat-low, but there is a small implied e sound between the syllables. The playing on Tea for Two is excellent and nothing like anyone else plays it. The sound quality isn't great but it's what we have.

Best
Scot