The Squid's Ear Magazine


Kassap, Sylvain / Benjamin Duboc: Le Funambule (Dark Tree Records)

With mystery and drama the duo of clarinetist Sylvain Kassap and double bassist Benjamin Duboc start their performance with whisperings, Kassap's expanded range and vocabulary on the clarinet evocative against Duboc's strong bowing and plucking, as they both take their listeners across a tightrope of carefully balanced, masterfully evolving free conversation.
 

Price: $16.95



Quantity:

In Stock

Quantity in Basket: None

Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 2.00 units

Sample The Album:





product information:

Personnel:



Sylvain Kassap-clarinet, bass clarinet

Benjamin Duboc-double bass, voice


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 3473351000123

Label: Dark Tree Records
Catalog ID: DT12
Squidco Product Code: 28057

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2019
Country: France
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Le Comptoir, in Fontenay-sous-Bois, on January 3rd, 2019, by Benjamin Duboc.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"And it's all about tightrope walking, a fragile balance, on the thread, fragility that they display from the beginning of their concert by inviting the public to lend their ears to understand what they are say almost beyond the audible spectrum, the clarinettist in tiny high-pitched chirps, the bass player playing the bow on the tailpiece of his instrument. Then, using all the resources acquired through their careers as improvisers and their work in the field of contemporary music grope groping their ears to the other - a situation that recalls last year's opening performance of the 2018 edition by Barre Phillips and the dancer Julyen Hamilton - with his exclamations, his jubilations, his emotions, his tenderness, his nervousness, his uncertainties and his distractions ... until this interrogation on a possible end - reminding me of many similar moments between Phillips and Hamilton - to which Benjamin Duboc seems to oppose a refusal by replying a new invitation to conversation, but as with regret ... and it is on these points of suspension following a raise of contrabass that a spectator, of an untimely applause involving those of the whole public, decides to pose a n end point."-Jazzmagazine.com (via Google Translate)


Artist Biographies

"Born in 1956, French Clarinettist Sylvain Kassap has been one of the greatest improv jazz musicians since the late 70s. A major player on the avant-garde scene, Kassap has performed with Louis Sclavis, Michel Portal, Henri Texier, Bernard Lubat, François Tusques, and many other cutting-edge French musicians. He has also played along side a large number of innovative international musicians such as Evan Parker, John Surman, Barre Philips, Sam Rivers, Hamid Drake, Han Bennink.

Kassap uses his clarinets in ways that go well beyond conventional melodic and harmonic expectations. With percussive bursts and textural sounds, Kassap expands the range and vocabulary of the instrument. He has also been a pioneer in fusing the arts, collaborating with actors, dancers and writers. And, he has made occasional forays into contemporary classical music, performing works by John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen and other experimental composers. From free improvisation to contemporary and ethnic music, leading French clarinetist Sylvain Kassap explores a world that is rich in colour and finesse, animated by an unquenchable spirit of freedom."

-France in Canada (http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/The-Sylvain-Kassap-quartet-in)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Benjamin Duboc is a very strong voice on double bass, born 1969, studied with JF Jenny-Clark & Bernard Cazauran, and has played with many great musicians (as Ernest Dawkins, Bertrand Denzler, Roy Campbell, Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Sabir Mateen, Byard Lancaster, Daniel Erdmann, Abdelahaï Bennani, Michel Doneda, Daunik Lazro, Sunny Murray, John Betsch...). And also with Henry Grimes for a great duet in Paris. He leads the "Nuts" quintet with Itaru Oki & Rasul Siddik on trumpets, & Makoto Sato & Didier Lasserre on drums. He plays in "The fish" with Jean-Luc Guionnet on alto sax & Edward Perraud on drums (double cd on Ayler Records) and Rocks in the Sea with Mario Rechtern, Eric Zinman and Didier Lasserre. Benjamin has a beautiful and big sound, you really feel the ground while hearing him... it's somethin' ! He also is recorded on Amor Fati, Futura Marge, Creative sources, le petit label, sansbruit."

-Benjamin Duboc Website (http://benjamin.duboc.free.fr/biography.htm)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. vers le bleu 16:34

2. c'est narcisse qui danse 03:32

3. le ventre de socrate 19:50

4. metamorphose de la poussieere 03:48

5. le soir descendu sur la piste (entre les reeves) 04:31

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Duo Recordings
Stringed Instruments
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players

Search for other titles on the label:
Dark Tree Records.


Recommended & Related Releases:
Bosshard, Patricia
Onceim-CoO
(Potlatch)
Bosshard, Patricia
Onceim-CoO
(Potlatch)
Two major works of evolving acoustic soundscape from Swiss violinist & composer Patricia Bosshard realized by the 27-member Orchestra des Nouvelles Creations, which includes Bosshard, Stephane Rives, Bertrand Denzler, &c.; "Sillon" employs a percussive pulse over 27 independently transforming grooves; "Reflets" a harmonic composition for bowed strings, including three double basses.
Denzler, Bertrand
Arc
(Potlatch)
Created by Felicie Bazelaire, CoO is a string ensemble drawn from the French new music ensemble ONCEIM; CoO develops new repertoire for strings, collaborating with composers like Bertrand Denzler, who wrote this innovative composition "Arc" in two parts, a work applying unusual techniques to bowed strings, particularly lower bass tones, for fascinating results.
Afterfall (Lopes / Giardullo / Miguel / Duboc / Sorgen)
Afterfall
(Clean Feed)
Luis Lopes put together this international group including Sei Miguel, Joe Giardullo & Benjamin Duboc for gigs in Portugal, which worked so well that they went to the studio for this impressive release.
Nuts (Duboc / Siddik / Oki / Lasserre / Sato)
Symphony for Old and New Dimensions
(Ayler)
Bassist Duboc's two part symphony with dual drummers and dual trumpeters is a journey that aims at the creative free improvisation of groups like the Art Ensemble, AACM, BAG, &c.
Bennani, Abdelhai Trio
There Starts the Future
(Ayler)
Moroccan tenor saxophonist in a trio with Benjamin Duboc & Edward Perraud, extended examinations on tracks of extended technique and expressive approaches to improv.
Fish, The
Live at Olympic Cafe & Jazz a Mulhouse [2 CDs]
(Ayler)
Other Recommended Releases:
Tapscott, Horace Quintet
Legacies For Our Grandchildren: Live In Hollywood, 1995
(Dark Tree Records)
The French Dark Tree label continues its curation of the unreleased material of West Coast pianist and band leader Horace Tapscott with this exuberant and substantial collection of live sessions at Catalina's Bar & Grill in Hollywood with Michael Session on saxophones, Thurman Green on trombone, Roberto Miranda on double bass, Fritz Wise on drums and vocal stylist Dwight Trible.
Lingens, Hannes
Music For Strings
(Edition Wandelweiser Records)
Four compositions for strings from German composer Hannes Lingens, including the three-part "Triptych" work performed by the Ensemble CoÔ, a septet directed by bassist Félicie Bazelair that emphasizes bowed strings; and two solo works performed by Bazelair: "Methods and Materials" & "Solo for String Instruments" employing advanced approaches to the double bass.
Grimal, Alexandra / Benjamin Duboc / Valentin Ceccaldi
Bambu
(Ayler)
An unusual and captivating work from the trio of saxophonist Alexandra Grimal, double bassist Benjaim Duboc, and cellist Valentin Ceccaldi, leading their album with tracks from "Respirer l'ombre" by Giuseppe Penone "spontaneously used without permission but with great admiration," leading to powerful and unpredictable directions in free improvisation; excellent.
Double-Basse (Petit / Duboc)
This is Not Art
(Clean Feed)
French free improvisers Benjamin Duboc (double bass) and Jean-Luc Petit (contrabass & clarinet) in a moody album of bass tones, deep harmonics and rich timbral interaction with beautiful pacing that rises in confrontation and then descends back to artful darkness.
Duboc, Benjamin
Primare Cantus
(Ayler)
A 3 CD set from bassist Benjamin Duboc: a solo disc of low register improv; plus 2 discs in duo and trio settings with Didier Lasserre, Sylvain Guerineau, Jean-Luc Petit, Pascal Battus, Sophie Agnel & Christian Pruvost.



Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
Golia, Vinny / Max Johnson / Weasel Walter
No Refunds
(Unbroken Sounds)
Recording in Brooklyn's Seaside Lounge in 2014, these five previously unreleased collective improvisations bring together West Coast reedist Vinny Golia, performing on clarinet, saxello, sopranino, baritone saxophones with double bassist Max Johnson and drummer Weasel Walter, an absolutely impressive example of free playing intent and well-balanced conversation.
Perelman / Shipp / Cosgrove
Live in Carrboro
(Soul City Sounds)
The second album release from the trio of New York improvisers Ivo Perelman on tenor saxophone and Matthew Shipp on piano with DC drummer Jeff Cosgrove, captured live in North Carolina at the Carborro ArtsCenter for an extended, nearly hour-long journey of concentrative interplay, articulate soloing and diverse and authoritative dynamics of fervent and reflective moods.
Brotzmann, Peter / Heather Leigh / Fred Lonberg-Holm
Naked Nudes
(Trost Records)
Part of Peter Brötzmann's 80th birthday concerts in his hometown of Wuppertal, the saxophonist assembled a trio from his typically duo partner, pedal steel guitarist Heather Leigh (Charalambides, Dream/Aktion Unit) and Chicago cellist and electronic improviser Fred Lonberg-Holm, performing the extended title track at INSEL | Kultur im ADA, along with two succinct improvisations.
Parker, Evan / John Edwards / Tony Marsh
Medway Blues
(FMR)
A superb 2009 concert at Command House, in Chatham, UK from the trio of saxophonist Evan Parker, double bassist John Edwards, and late drummer/percussionist Tony Marsh, a single 36 minute improvisation of cohesive and energetic free jazz where all three pull together as a nearly telepathic unit, plus two extended duo sections between Edwards and Marsh and a Marsh solo.
Helary / Rayon / Gilbert / Lavergne
Glowing Life
(Ayler)
French flutist Sylvaine Helary's new quartet explores a more electric branch of her work as a composer, in compositions that bridge improvisation and rock forms with song-like structures and narrative, performed with Antonin Rayon on Hammond Organ B3, Moog, piano & clavinet, Benjamin Glibert on electric guitar & bass, and Christophe Lavergne on drums.
Carter, Daniel / Patrick Holmes / Matthew Putman / Hilliard Greene / Federico Ughi
Telepathic Mysteries Vol. 1
(577 Records)
Referring to an improvisational style only possible after many years of collaboration, which they refer to as a "ghostly, boundary-pushing music between friends", this is the 4th sublime album from the quintet of Daniel Carter on reeds & trumpet, Patrick Holmes on clarinet, Matthew Putman on piano & keys, Hilliard Greene on bass, and Federico Ughi on drums.
Lehman, Steve / Craig Taborn
The People I Love
(Pi Recordings)
Saxophonist Steve Lehman's trio with drummer Damion Reid and double bassist Matt Brewer is expanded with pianist Craig Taborn for an album of Lehman originals and compositions by Autechre, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kenny Kirkland, and Jeff "Tain" Watts, plus three duo recordings between Lehman and Taborn; intricate cutting edge jazz made effortless and exuberant!
Oddly Imploded (Gregoretti / Argenziano)
They Just Sit About
(Shhpuma)
Italian sonic explorer Francesco Gregoretti uses his drumkit like a lead instrument, amplifying and modifying its sound through effects, as he pursues his varied "Imploded" bands (Strongly Imploded, Grizzly Imploded) fueled by the mathematics of Chaos Theory, here with guitarist Maurizio Argenziano in an album of dense sound, from near-minimal to highly interactive.
Arthurs / Khroustaliov / Sartorious
Hangkerum
(Clean Feed)
An album of alien soundscape and un-anticipatable rhythm with seductive brass sonority floating above, from the Swiss trio of trumpeter Tom Arthurs, Isambard Khroustaliov on electronics, and Julian Sartorious on drums & percussion, contrasting complex and strangely aberrant sonic and rhythmic environments with lyrically virtuosic trumpet work.
Lencastre's, Joao Communion 3 (w/ Sacks / Opsvik)
Song(s) Of Hope
(Clean Feed)
The 2nd release on Clean Feed by drummer Joao Lencastre's Communion, a shape-shifting ensemble here configured with 2 New York improvisers from Lencastre's associations over 15 years in NYC--pianist Jakob Sacks and bassist Eivind Opsvik--for 10 studio recordings which include the 4-part "Magnetic Frequency", blurring lyrical avant jazz and chamber forms; beautiful.
Eisenstadt, Harris (w/ Wooley / Hawkins / Niggenkemper)
Canada Day Quartet Live
(Clean Feed)
While staying in the village Poschiavo in Switzerland at the Uncool Artist Residency program with his wife and son, drummer/composer Harris Eisenstadt composed more than 50 single-line, three-system unison compositions and multi-voice tunes, flexible to be arranged for any size group, as heard in this all-star quartet configuration of his Canada Day ensemble.
Clarke, Zack Trio (w/ Kim / Cass / Dre Hocevar)
Vertical Shores
(Clean Feed)
A lyrical album of original compositions from New York pianist Zack Clarke, in an acoustic jazz piano trio with double bassist Kim Cass and drummer Dre Hocevar, recording in the Systems Two studio in Brooklyn for nine pieces of both optimistic and mercurial temperament, a great example mixing virtuosic form and perceptive communication in a classic configuration.
Risser, Eve
Apres Un Reve
(Clean Feed)
A remarkably varied and unique approach to prepared piano that French pianist Eve Risser refers to as "piano droit", heard in her performance at FGO Barbara, in Paris on an upright piano, chosen for its specific mechanical qualities that allow Risser to generate a surprising amount of rhythmic variety, as she performs a single work mixing composed and improvised elements.
Dunmall / Swell / Owston / Sanders
So Perhaps
(FMR)
British saxophonist Paul Dunmall and American trombonist Steve Swell in a quartet with master drummer Mark Sanders and emerging UK bassist James Owston took the stage at Jubilee Center Birmingham, UK in 2019 for this dynamic album of collective improvisation, in a staggering concert of powerful technique and upbeat, ultimately swinging free jazz.



The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC