Christophe Marguet

The archipelago celebrated in this multi-section tone poem is the Moyenne Island National Park, and the disc deals with the circumstance that went into its almost single-handed creation by one individual. Purchasing the uninhabited island in 1962, Brit Brendon Grimshaw, helped by local René Lafortin, built nature paths, planted trees and other flora and attracted birds and other creatures including giant tortoises. He died still extending the project 39 years later. Composed by French drummer Christophe Marguet, the 11 tracks also emphasize the percussionist’s cohesive talents and those of three other veteran Gallic musicians: guitarist Manu Codjia, bassist Hélène Labarrière and Régis Huby playing electric violin

Taken together the music is as tropical, tuneful and throbbing as you would expect from cadenced content designed to celebrate the formation of an island paradise. But for all the talent expended the overall result is probably tamer than wild island itself.

Marguet who has played  with everyone from Joëlle Léandre to Sébastien Texier is resourceful enough to move through the varied textures that flesh out the project. So are his associates whose experience encompasses music making with the likes of Sylvain Kassap, Marc Ducret and Emile Parisien.

Probably in the spirit of verdant symmetry appropriate for the island, Marguet gives each player ample space for individual expression. Although the guitarist and fiddler are more often upfront, there’s a track like “Free Birds” where double bass swing and stops direct the exposition that’s decorated with bell-like guitar plinks and a repeated ostinato from the violinist.

More frequently the evenhanded narratives favor higher-pitched string expansions. Some timbres ascend past untapped lyricism to approach urban lather. “Daily work” is one built on Codjia’s blurred fingering resonations that approach Rock, doubled by Huby’s flanges plus cymbal clashes and drum clip clops that threaten to obliterate other sounds. That doesn’t happen, neither here or on those tracks where a repeat of the thematic introduction keep interludes grounded. However there are other sections that could slide onto a Metal session,

Avoiding these excesses and times where the string muting and percussion control are so far away from needed cadences that lyrical threatens to sink into languid, is what the Marguet quartet does best. Still while the musical moderation expressed may reflect Moyenne Isnad today, surely its transformation involved more struggle which also should have been reflected here.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Island 2.  Les dauphins 3. Nuit céleste 4. Daily work 5. Chemin de lune 6. Derek 7. Solitue 8. Liberté 9. Sable blanc 10. Free Birds 11. Wild Life

Personnel: Régis Huby (electric violin); Manu Codjia (guitar); Hélène Labarrière (bass) and Christophe Marguet (drums)