François Jeanneau

Epitomizing that time when French improvisers were being pulled among funky, free and fusion music, outer space is what’s alluded to in the title but it could as easily be describing the 1975 scene. Reedist François Jeanneau now 88, had played with François Tusques and lead the Orchestre National de Jazz. Keyboardist Michel Graillier (1946-2003), worked with both Magma and Chet Baker; drummer Bernard Lubat, now 77, backed a festival poster’s list of pop and Jazz folks; while bassist J.-F. Jenny-Clark (1944-2008) had a long-time association with Joachim Kühn. This session keeps boomeranging between contemporary straight-ahead Jazz and slides into spacey, Rock affiliations heavily infused with electronics and percussion.

“Droit D’Asile” is most closely aligned with Free Improv as Jeanneau pushes out tenor saxophone smears and doits with almost unstoppable intensity. As he reaches a peak of split tones and overblowing he’s matched in tension/release by Graillier’s well-modulated pianism, Lubat’s pounding ruffs and Clark’s wide pulsations, before the track screeches to a logical climax. On the other hand a track like “Triton” synthesis many influences. Combined are jiggling outer-space like electrified wave forms, a thickened fusion bass solo, almost Africanized drum thumps, and expressive improvising from the saxophonist’s tough tenor work and Graillier electric piano slithers.

Une Bien Curieuse Planète vacillates between those points de vue, with squeezed and enveloping textures resembling guitar flanged Space Rock; a track of yelping complaints vocalized by a French lyricist and backed by calliope like flutters; and times when Jeanneau’s flute flight and grand piano clanking suggest Baroque affiliations. Those solos and his narrow soprano saxophone cries trace the fine line that separates Coltrane-like spiritual emphasis and overly delicate reed response to measured percussion power. An instructive illustration of the challenges with which creative musicians must constantly deal, the session provides historical as well as musical insight.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Triton 2. Kaïna 3. Theme For An Unknown Island 4. Fébrile Et Solitaire
5. Une Bien Curieuse Planete 6. Mr J.C. For Ever 7. Nostalgique Futur 8. Droit D’Asile 9. À L’ombre Des Forces Obscures – Triton II.

Personnel: François Jeanneau (tenor and soprano saxophones, flute, synthesizer, electric piano, piano, percussion); Michel Graillier (electric piano, piano, synthesizer, percussion); J.-F. Jenny-Clark (bass, percussion) and Bernard Lubat (drums, percussion)