Thursday, September 4, 2014

Joëlle Léandre & Pascal Contet - 3

Bassist Joëlle Léandre and accordionist Pascal Contet go back a fair ways as a duet. Their first album was released in 1994. There was a second a few years ago. Now we have their third, simply titled 3 (Ayler Records 137).

It lives up to the promise of those earlier recordings by providing the two exceptional musicians with an open-form platform to stretch out and weave some sometimes subtle yet ever exciting webs of sound. The timbral distinctiveness of the two instruments, when activated by the masterful color-magic freedom and imagination of Joëlle Léandre and Pascal Contet, sound right in ways that stimulate and satisfy.

The two conjure up some seven wide-ranging improvisational segments, never flagging, ever at virtual peaks of creative invention. Joëlle's inimitable singing comes into play now and again, but mostly it is the sound innovations and all-over matrixes of the two together instrumentally that carry the day.

These are some invigorating sounds--music that breaks boundaries without sounding the least bit forced, naturally if you please. Ms. Léandre is an avant contrabass master and she gives you a good deal of why that is so here. Pascal Content is no less engaging as well, inspired by the chemistry of the very pregnant moments of creation and his own wellsprings of notefulness.

If you are looking for something worthwhile on the free frontier, or already know what to expect, either way this one does not disappoint. Bass players, accordionists and open-field listeners, take heed!

No comments:

Post a Comment