CD 1: 7 Solos

CD 2: featuring Assif Tsahar bass clarinet , Ariel Shibolet soprano saxophone, Albert Beger tenor saxophone, Haggai Fershtman drums, Daniel Sarid piano trio with Steve Horenstein barytone,soprano saxophones and flute, J-C Jones bass,Sameer Makhoul oud.
When French contrabass legend, Joelle Leandre, visited Israel in November of 2007, she played live and recorded a number of fine solo, duo and group sessions for the Kadima label. Her fine duo with Barre Phillips, has already been released and now we have a great double disc of her solo concert plus a disc of improvisations wit a number of Israel's greatest players like Assif Tsahar, Albert Beger, and Steve Horenstein on saxes and Daniel Sarid on piano. The solo set is indeed superb and nicely-recorded. Ms. Leandre is a master improviser and always excels in the solo situation. I found this set to be quite intense and spirited. While listening to this, I was amazed by the dense, throttling low-end sounds that Joelle was making. The overall sound of her bass and various bowed, plucked and bang-on-the-strings sounds that she employs are nothing less then astonishing. Joelle Leandre is a free spirit and her contrabass playing captures the true spirit of freedom in its many flowered forms. It doesn't get any better than this!

The second disc features Joelle improvising with a sextet, a trio and a duo of Israeli musicians. The sextet is first and it consists of three reeds players, piano, bass and drums. We know Assif Tsahar from his many years as a downtown tenor titan & bass clarinetist, Albert Beger from discs he has sent us in the past with William Parker & Hamid Drake and pianist Daniel Sarid from discs that Assif or Ori Kaplan once left us. Joelle's feisty bass fits just right with these other strong improvisers. The sextet sounds swell since no one overplays, we often hear sub-groups mix in different combinations with occasional somber sections. One track starts with two great acoustic bassists and piano and it is outstanding, especially when both bassists are bowing. Saxist Steve Horenstein has played with Bill Dixon in the past and here plays bari & soprano sax & flute. He plays strong simmering bari sax with the two bassists, Joelle and JC Jones. Jean Claude Jones is fine musician who helped organize these sessions and runs the Kadima label. JC and Joelle work very well together, their basses always compliment each other. It is difficult to tell them apart at times. The final two pieces feature Sameer Makhoul on oud and Joelle on bass, with both doing some effective vocal sounds. These pieces are more laid back, moody and prayer-like and provide a perfect ending for this wonderful disc. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery

Invitée par Kamida à se produire en solo dans différentes villes israéliennes en 2007, Joëlle Léandre en a profité pour aller à la rencontre de jeunes musiciens du cru. Le double “Live in Israel“ la présente en solo sur un CD et avec trois groupes très différents sur le second. En sextet, elle « dirige » les opérations avec autorité, ses lignes impériales servant souvent de points de départ d’explorations sonores au sein desquelles on remarque particulièrement Daniel Sarid (p), Albert Beger (ts) et Haggai Fershtman (dm). Plus concentré, impressionnant et dense, le trio regroupant les deux basses (Léandre, J. C. Jones) et les saxes de Steve Horenstein (un ancien complice de Bill Dixon) laisse découvrir de vigoureuses textures escarpées autour des sons graves et une vive interaction, alors que le duo de la basse avec l’oud de Sameer Makhoui (tous deux se rejoignent aussi par le chant) la trouve en parfaite harmonie avec les couleurs tonales et les mélodies plutôt traditionnelles de son partenaire. Et évidemment, ses sept solos de contrebasse sont des modèles d’invention, de rigueur, de profondeur, de folie…
Robert Louis Impro Jazz