The duo of French bassist Joelle Leandre and flautist Jerome Bourdellon, two tremendously skilled improvisers in an impressive dialog on a variety of flutes, bass clarinet, bass, voice, with one solo piece from each.
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Joelle Leandre-contrabass
Jerome Bourdellon-contrabass flute, C flute, bass flute, bass clarinet, piccolo flute
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UPC: 616892097945
Label: Relative Pitch
Catalog ID: RPR1010
Squidco Product Code: 17031
Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2012
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack
Recorded at Theatre du Saulcy in Metz, France on November 2nd, 2011.
"There seems to be a lot fewer flute players in the concentric worlds of jazz and free improvisation than there are people who play the flute. Whether it's due to the demands of the instrument or its unique reputation as (to mix musical metaphors) a s "second fiddle." It seems often to be used to connote a softness, a femininity perhaps, rather than being allowed to charge and roam freely like the saxophone - the usual first instrument for the would-be flautist - giving it a bad reputation among at least some of the True Believers.
There are exceptions, of course. Nicole Mitchell plays flute exclusively and Roscoe Mitchell and Henry Threadgill both merit mention. And flautists aren't only from the Windy City, of course. Let us also remember Dolphy and Rahsaan as examples to prove the rule, and add to that list a gentleman from France named Jerome Bourdellon.
Bourdellon has worked with Mitchell, as well as Thomas Buckner and Joe McPhee to name but a few American playing partners, but he remains too little recognized outside of Europe. His tone is assured, solid, showing that the instrument is capable of more than just whispering. He is heard on this record playing across the flue family, from the piccolo and C flue to the bass and contrabass. He picks up the bass clarinet on a couple of tracks as well, but fortunately his voice proves to be just as powerful through the reed. At midpoint, we even hear his raspy guttural vocalizations executed while playing the bas clarinet, making for a perfectly unmatched pairing with his duet partner. Joelle Leandre's own urgent operatics alongside his intonations as both are playing fervently at the session's peak gives the impression of a quartet, or even a crowd.
Leandre, the acclaimed double-bassist, needs no introduction but deserves one nevertheless. She is simply a master of the form. Her early associations with the composers Pierre Boulez, John Cage and Giacinto Scelci, and her later emergence as an improviser after meeting the likes of Derek Bailey, Lol Coxhill, and Irene Schweizer in the European free improvisation scene cast her as a uniquely educated, pedigreed even, artist. She has pursued the music with an honesty and determination for more than thirty years. [....]"-Kurt Gottschalk, from the liner notes
Artist Biographies
• Show Bio for Joelle Leandre "Joëlle Léandre is a famous French Bassist and is known for her collaborations with other musicians in the field of improvised music. Born in France on September 12th, 1951, she made her music debut in 1984 with Les Douze Sons. Her childhood was filled with music, and she was particularly interested in the piano during her early years. In her later years, she developed an interest in double bass, which won her many honors and scholarships during her education. Her double bass teacher Pierre Delescluse encouraged her to apply to the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris, where she was formally trained and noticed for her talent in the bass. Her outstanding musicianship took her to the United States and to the Centre for Creative and Performing Arts in Buffalo through a scholarship. In the United States, she expanded her network and met some of the best composers, such as John Cage, Giacinto Scelsi, and Morton Feldman. Among them, John Cage greatly influenced her music and compositions. Her time in the United States also enabled her to experience downtown New York music, which was another significant influence that led to her continued involvement in the field of improvised music. Some of her notable collaborations in the field of contemporary music are with Pierre Boulez, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, and Giacinto Scelsi. Among them, John Cage and Giacinto Scelsi were the biggest influences in her life and music. In an interview, Joëlle Léandre said that John Cage was her spiritual father and changed her perception of sound and music. In another interview, she tells how Giacinto Scelsi allowed her to discover her own music and how his music transported her into a new world of improved consciousness. In the field of jazz music, she collaborated with Derek Bailey, William Parker, and Sebi Tramontana. Her music was owned and distributed by different music labels, including FMP, Leo, RougueArt, and Red Toucan. Some memorable songs and albums she released throughout the years include Instant Replay, Les Douze sons, Trios, Sweet Zee, Frerebet, Joelle et Tetsu, Philippe Fenelon, Voyages, etc. Some of the recent releases include Can You Hear Me and Unleashed. She has also performed live at the Tampere Jazz Festival twice, where popular international artists compete with each other. Joëlle Léandre is also the member of European Women's Improvising Group (EWIG). The group evolved from the Feminist Improvising Group, and Joëlle Léandre joined the group in 1983. In the early 1900s, she co-founded Les Diaboliques with Irene Schweizer and Maggie Nicols, who were her long-time musician friends. Besides that, she also teaches several classes in prestigious universities about contemporary and improvised music. She has lived in France, Germany, and U.S during her lifetime, teaching at academic institutions in the religions and playing concerts. In 2002, she was invited to Canada as a visiting professor for music and composition." ^ Hide Bio for Joelle Leandre
10/2/2024
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Track Listing:
1. Evidence I 5:10
2. Evidence II 6:15
3. Evidence III 5:10
4. Evidence IV 7:11
5. Evidence V 10:50
6. Evidence VI 6:59
7. Evidence VII 6:44
Improvised Music
Jazz
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
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