It’s difficult to believe that pianist Jacky Terrasson has been on the scene for 20 years. He’s always been just at the cusp of breaking on through to the other side of mass acceptance in the jazz field, but like Greg Osby, just misses for reasons inexplicable. This album may get him over the finish line, as it’s a perfect display of his strengths and vision.
He teams up here with an international team that is reminiscent of the cast of Casablanca: Cuban-born Lukmil Perez, Malian percussionist Adama Diarra, American bassist Burniss Travis and Afro-French vocalist and beat-boxer Sly Johnson team up with the French-American pianist in a mix of tunes. Bebop fans will drool over the hypractive take of “Un Poco Loco” and the reading of “Blue In Green” with Terrasson and Travis is gloriously visceral and slow. An almost New Orleanish mood is felt with Terrason teaming with Johnson’s vocals on a wonderfully joyful take of The Beatles’ “Come Together” which makes sense when you realize that this guy is also delivering here TWO different readings of “Take Five.” The first one has a synthesized p ercussion with piano with some hints of Herbie Hancock, while the second comes across like a Bobby McFerrin performance, with keyboards mixing with hip vocals.
Some Caribbean joys sparkle on “Maladie d’amour” whle the percussion and synth work on “Somebody That I Used To Know” is almost like a childlike theme. There’s enough chops to satisfy the jazz nerd in us as well as some carefree experimentation with moods to demonstrate that improvisation is more than just playing the notes, it’s selecting them.
Impulse! Records