Chevallier/Blondiau/Boisseau/Lavernge

Akmee
Sacrum Profanum
Nakama Records NKM 0?? CD

With a nearly identical line-up except for contrasting chordal instruments, Sacrum Profanum and Curiosity each define one musician’s compositional ideas. French guitarist David Chevallier, who also plays as a duo with Valentin Ceccaldi, satiates his musical curiosity during this nine-track disc with his interpretations amplified by contributions from his long-time Gallic associates of trumpeter Laurent Blondiau, bassist Sébastien Boisseau and drummer Christophe Lavergne. Slightly younger than the veterans on the other CD, Norwegian pianist Kjetil Jerve, who works in other contexts ranging from solo to large ensembles, examines the sacred and the profane over eight tracks featuring fellow Norse players trumpeter Erik Kimestad Pedersen, bassist Erlend Olderskog Albertsen and drummer Andreas Wildhagen.

Purring aside the Gnostic for the musical attributes of the disc, Jerve’s expositions are usually horizontal, filled with trumpet arabesques and brassy smears hanging over consistent patterns of swirling piano chords and bass and drum thumps. Balanced between the two pre-and-early Christian adjectives, some sonic impulses are emphasized to extend the scripture. Portamento trumpet effects go from portamento triplets to half-valve emotionalism, while pinpointed piano pressure and looming double bass stops add dramatic effects.

Although formalism and classical techniques are sometimes expressed by Jerve, affiliated Jazz comping is emphasized more often. The concluding tracks work around pressure and release with many minutes of silence following Wildhagen’s vibrating cymbal smack until the pianist’s forearm crash on the keyboard brings out a canonic interlude from Pedersen. When blended with others contributions the motif billows until it’s completed with light brass tones. More defining is “Dwiewięć”, which offers a rare drum solo. The splatters, rim shots, double slaps and paradiddles exhort contrasting low-pitched keyboard patterns and the finest brass display from Pedersen. His nearly swallowed but accentuated grace notes serve as double counterpoint to piano pacing, also creating a connective ostinato.

Substituting the six strings of a guitar for a piano’s 88 keys doesn’t put extra pressure on the French crew. But it calls for Chevallier to bring out knob-twisting and foot pedal effects as well as a collection of strums, twangs and frails to produce greater variety. At the same time he’s able to ring tones from the strings with the same facility and timbre as Lavergne brings from the bells and cymbals of his drums. Meantime Blondiau proves that his trumpet has more than a pretty tone. On the concluding “A while more”, based on a English Baroque line, the learned brass flourish at the end is balanced by the Storyville-like half-valve growls that begin the piece. On the other hand his muted flutters that float in the treble clef, maintain their shape except for necessary slide coloration. This happens on “Time is running” where brass theme elaboration is seconded by guitar string clangs, double bass strums and drum rattles. Similarly the accompaniment from Boisseau and Laverge is sophisticated enough that they perform their rhythmic functions without every ragging the beat or becoming overbearing. Drum hip-hops and moderated string sweeps are as common as thumps. In the same way the moderated trumpet-guitar interaction that characterizes most of “A New Riddle” could be heard as the most profound piece of rustic Americans ever created. French spice prevents it from becoming soporific though when the story-telling moves past restrained strums and grace notes to up-tempo brass smears.

The most gripping instance of four-sided cooperation occurs on “Don’t look back” however. Warm, relaxed guitar licks reflect backwards onto a beginning characterized by muted portamento sweetness from Blondiau and gentle pings from Lavergne. Yet no sooner has connection been established than Chevallier’s knob-twisting stings and squeaking brass smears reorient the middle enough via intervallic connection until the head returns. A final bass string pump confirms the toughness that lies beneath the often-honeyed narratives.

Overall two quartets provide enough textural equilibrium to properly interpret each composer’s ideas. They also suggest how these sorts of groups perform in different countries and different situations.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Sacrum: 1. Zloty 2, Ciemnoṥć 3. Dwiewięć 4. Zgorzknienie 5. Winieta 6. Rozpacz 7. Fraktal 8. Dźwięk

Personnel: Sacrum: Erik Kimestad Pedersen (trumpet); Kjetil Jerve (piano); Erlend Olderskog Albertsen (bass) and Andreas Wildhagen (drums)

Track Listing: Curiosity: 1. Long time no see 2. Time is running 3. Double Gnu Wan 4. Huis-clos 5. Don’t look back 6. L’autre Moi 7. Hungry Birds 8. A New Riddle 9. A while more

Personnel: Curiosity: Laurent Blondiau (trumpet); David Chevallier (guitar); Sébastien Boisseau (bass) and Christophe Lavergne (drums)