Is this jazz? Is it potpourri? Is it a world gone mad? I’m not sure, but it’s definitely European! Is this the future of the Euro as well?
Pianist/arranger Jean-Marie Machado leads a unique-sounding band that includes Andre Minvielle’s voice, a sax, trombone, flute, tuba, vibes, percussion, accordion and drums for a tribute to post WWII singer Boby Lapointe. Minvielle’s singing is classic nasally French, with too many words per bar, which is typical of the Europeans. The songs themselves have been modernized and loosened up, so that you’ve got Brazilian flavor with a nervous twitch (“Boby En Sibibi”), a New Orleanish reggae with brass (“Le Fete A Boby” and something that sounds like the circus is coming to town (“L’Helicon”). The blending of flutes, soprano sax and various bohemian sounds is quite intriguing, particularly when they trickle like a brook on “Le Poisson Fa.” A mixture of sounds and generations.
The band Rusconi is comprised of Stefan Rusconi/p, Fabiean Gisler/b and Claudio Struby/dr all products of Western Europe and influenced by the sound, vision and attitude of The Bad Plus. The drums get a bit thunderous, just like TBP, as on the heavy hitting “Berlin Blues” but the band can also get a bit mysterious and murky with some electronics with guest guitarist Fred Frith on “Alice in the Sky.” The moods can change at the flick of a wrist in mid song, as on “Message the History Again” and they show an ability to gel on the rhythm on the skipping “Hits of Sunshine.” The future of jazz?
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