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 |