- Urban Trek
- Sur le Tarmac
- A Ceil Ouvert
- Maitre Nhom
- Les Sources de la Romanche
- Formica Leo
- Soul Role
- Piana
- Charivari
- Rascar Capac (Intro)
Stephane Guillaume - Saxophones, Clarinets,
Flutes
Antoine Banville - Drums
Marc Buronfosse - Bass
Paul-Christian Staicu - Piano, Fender Rhodes
Claude Egea - Bugle, Trumpet
David Patrois - Vibes, Marimba
Frederic Favarel - Guitars
Daniel Yvenec - Artistic direction and Bass
on Formica Leo
Recorded in June 2003
I feel certain that many
fans of contemporary jazz are not best pleased
with some of my reviews, but I try to write
objectively about the musician’s performance
in the context of jazz. Outside the field
of jazz, I am not qualified to comment and
a fair proportion of the cotemporary albums
I hear have crossed that boundary. How good
it feels therefore to hear a new album where
the tunes are new to me, so are the musicians,
but it is without doubt ’the real thing’!
Stephane Guillame is a very talented reed
player and a composer of great merit. His
playing exhibits all the qualities of someone
who has had a first class musical education
and loves what he does.
I would like to quote from
the sleeve note because I feel its appropriate.
"Soul Role" is
a giant puzzle’ the pieces of which are the
emotions he has experienced while playing
live in concert all over the world. It is
the starting point for his own music, which
he wants to be carefully constructed, fully
accomplished, imaginative and above all rich
in emotion.
It is my belief that he has
achieved all these things.
Another aspect of Stephane’s
playing is that he has obviously listened
to the great jazz musicians of the past, to
give him a basis on which to seek his own
way. He has an excellent tone on all reeds,
but his sound on the tenor saxophone is exceptional.
Having said that his performance on all his
instruments is of the highest quality and
he plays with soul and feeling throughout.
Apart from the drummer and
bass player, the other musicians come and
go on different tracks, I was also very impressed
with the rhythm section and particularly pianist
Paul-Christian Staicu. He has a fine jazz
feel and knows when to play as well as when
not to play. Trumpet player Claude Egea is
only used on a few tracks, but he too is another
excellent jazz musician, his solos are exciting
and he has an excellent range.
If like me you like your
jazz to progress, but without losing the qualities
that define it, this record is for you. I
thoroughly enjoyed it and it will stay around
my turntable for a while!
Don Mather
CD Reviews
O+Music - OP104
