Bonbon Flamme

Organizing as many musical influences into a multi-textural whole as there are contributions from the members’ diverse European backgrounds, the Bonbon Flamme quartet creates a vivid, kaleidoscopic program. That means the four blend rock and pop flourishes, Jazz, improv, electronica and Ragtime (!) inflections, but oddly enough no Hispanic tinges despite the title. Overall, the majority of tunes were composed by Corsican cellist Valentin Ceccaldi, known for his work with Leïla Martial and Joëlle Léandre among many others, while Belgian pianist/synthesizer player Fulco Ottervanger, who is also in De Beren Gieren, wrote two tunes. The band’s other members are French drummer Étienne Ziemniak who has been part of Cécile Cappozzo’s trio and Portuguese guitarist Luís Lopes has worked with everyone from Rodrigo Amado to Christian Lillinger.

Lopez’s contemporary guitar licks are upfront throughout, with particular prominence during those sequences when his emphasized twangs, wah-wah pedal or Metal like flanges aim for  Hard Rock territory. Affiliated with pressurized drum smacks organ like washes and squeezes and electrified cello thumps and guitar riffs “Chupito Dos” for instance could have come from a 1970s rock jam. Almost the same vibe, to use an expression from that decade, is allied to  “Cachorro Cuadrado”, although repeated cowbell smacks are balanced by synth and guitar runs moving up and down the scale to express multi-hued timbral strains rather than following a simple rhythmic function.

Other tracks lean into opposite directions, especially those which emphasize Lopes’ quiet side, showing his playing to be tender as well as tough. It’s the same with Ceccaldi’s output. Although frequently taking the double bass position in the tunes with stops and thumps, his string definition can also be more obtuse and almost pastoral.

The piece that puts these ideas and many others into distinctively sculptured form is Scott Joplin’s “The Ragtime Dance”. Beginning with Lopes’ dial-twisting flanges and guitar hero-like flourishes and mixed with Ziemniak’s ruffs and rumbles, just after the one minute mark the expositions turns first to Dixieland two beat with a pseudo slap bass line and low whistles. Heard in the background is the recording of a ragtime piano excerpt that is gradually subsumed by ringing guitar plucks, cello string slides and hard drum ruffs, and ends with acoustic piano clicks.

Proving its individuality and unique sound evolution with this and other tracks Bonbon Flamme has become one of the most notable group collaborations for each band member.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Calavera Uno 2. Calavera Dos 3. Chupito Uno 4. Snowing Pirogue 5. Noline* 6. The Ragtime Dance 7. Una Nube Sobre Ruedas 8. Cachorro Cuadrado 9. Chupito Dos 10. Tres Calaveras

Personnel: Fulco Ottervanger  (upright piano, synthesizers, voice); Luís Lopes (guitar, synthesizer*); Valentin Ceccaldi (cello, synthesizer*) and Étienne Ziemniak (drums, electronics, synthesizer*)