Editorial: That's the way it goes...
Posted March 19, 2007That’s how it goes…
Springtime is nearly here, there is a huge amount of things happening, but our editorial is still talking about the end of last year ! Here is a little general update on current affairs at Métisse Music for the curious:
March turns out to be THE month of Jazz for us, with some very important and exciting releases: The quartet album of the Mehldau/Metheny collaboration is out on Warner since the beginning of the month. It covers a whole range of colours, from reminders of the West Coast jazz of the CTI label in the seventies with a guitar sound reminiscent of Wes Montgomery at that period, up to a very experimental approach, always supported by a great rhythm section, the one of Brad Mehldau
’s trio. Brad has been presenting his new orchestral work here at the beginning of the month also, at the Théâtre du Chatelet: a prestigious, sold out event with the who’s who of jazz in France in attendance.
Following this, neither last not least, there is the release of Kenny Werner new album “Lawn Chair Society” (Blue Note) set for March 19. He has collaborated with Brian Blade on drums for this one, with Chris Potter, with only the best. Do not miss this one for the world; we think that all of those that have been following this great musician’s career over 30 odd years will be feeling that this is the one ! And those who are really keen on discovering the very much alive part of American jazz should go out and buy it. You can take a listening session on the Blue Note site to get an idea. This will hopefully be the big break through for an artist who is a great composer and interpreter, a virtuoso pianist, who has been a great teacher all his life and has inspired so many up and coming instrumentalists. Kenny will be at the New Morning, in trio formation, on April 6.
And the month will end in beauty with two new , exciting solo piano releases, one a much loved and admired French American, the other a young and yet to be discovered (at least in France) German talent : The long awaited solo album by Jacky Terrasson will be launched with a concert at a beautiful old Paris theatre, the Athénée on March 26, the day of his CD release in France, again on Blue Note. This album has been worth its wait, as you will discover. The standards are approached from a completely fresh angle, the compositions are strong, there is a lot of mood and colour, and not a single second of boredom.
And then there is the young German pianist Michael Wollny ; on the way to being discovered by a bigger French public after his collaborations with German saxophonist doyen Heinz Sauer which got the magazine Jazzman’s award of the year and his own trio’s concerts in Paris, Michael will have his first solo album out on his label ACT on March 29. It is called “Hexentanz”, Witches’ Dance, and it is an adventurous and inspired recording. With Wollny having acquired an agent in France, we hope to see a lot more of this very talented and unique musician.
Other spring releases not to be missed in a jazz context are: the Austrians radio.string.quartet “Celebrating the Maravishnu Orchestra”, out in April, also on ACT. This creation, with its amazing arrangements and with the originality and passion expressed in its interpretation of the originals, has the full backing and enthusiasm of John McLaughlin, the founder of the now legendary ensemble.
And we are waiting with great expectation to hear the finished recording of young rising star Yaron Herman, in a trio formation with Matt Brewer and Gerald Cleaver which will be released in September/October. That same period will also see the release of Joachim Kühn recent recording for ACT, a splendid trio affair this, too, in collaboration with Moroccan Majid Bekkas on guembri and oud and the Spaniard Ramon Lopez on drums with a very attractive world music touch, hinted at by its title “Kalimba” . And Bekkas actually sings a song on this one !
In the world music context, the reactions to the new album “Queens and Kings” of the Fanfare Ciocarlia are just amazing ! It is a brilliant album, with some great invitees, splendid gypsy voices from all over Europe. And there will be a concert at the Bellevilloise, a new venue here in Paris, as part of a festival, at the end of the month. There will be some splendid music coming our way with the new Jaro releases, the label from Bremen, Germany, with their signatures, The Shin from Georgia in Eastern Europe, and Hazmat Modine, a fascinating ensemble of musicians from New York, following in the footsteps of the Klezmatics, but with great originality and individuality.
Enjoy the spring and all the beautiful music that is coming your way.