H.U.M. is the name of the swinging 1960’s trio Daniel Humair/dr, Rene’ Urtreger/p and famed Pierre Michelot/b. During De Gaulle’s years as Prime Minister, jazz was in the air, and it was hopping, with this trio caught in concert and studio recordings in gay Paree. The team had a strong allegiance to the song selection from vintage Miles Davis’ first classic quintet as well as the bebop of Parker and Monk, and create their own interpretation of America’s classical music.
You can feel the energy of the Club St-Germain, as the sound is bustling in the background. It doesn’t detract, but it adds to the vibe as the Urtreger sears through “Just One of Those Things” and “Bye Bye Backbird” with the electricity of his Bud Powell influenced touch, while Michelot lays down slick lines between solos as on “Well You Needn’t” and “Ah Moore.” Humair gets a few chances to snap the sticks in the spotlight, but he mostly corrals the band to keep them galloping forward. There are also a handful of studio recordings, with a wonderful “Laura” as well as a few RTF broadcasts which has more deliberate reads of their songbook. In a day of nuance and subtlety, it’s refreshing to hear music from an era when muscles were flexed and sparks flew. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by this beaut!
Fresh Sound Records