Lazro/Léandre/Lovens

Unlike certain letters among  various cults and civilizations, there isn’t supposed to be anything magical about the letter “L”. However when you gather three animated practitioners of unadulterated free improvisation, all of whom have a last name beginning with “L”, a spellbinding program results. The three conjurers are German drummer Paul Lovens and two French natives, baritone saxophonist Daunik Lazro and bassist Joëlle Léandre. Recorded in 2013 this single set improvisation preserve their unique joint perception when, despite what ageists might posit, all were in their 60s. Lovens is best known as part of a longstanding trio with Evan Parker and Alexander von Schlippenbach; Lazro for working with everyone from Joe McPhee to Jean-Jacques Avenel; while Léandre has played internationally with almost innumerable innovators in all parts of the world.

Overblown slurs, dark reed honks, tempered with percussion shakes and shatters are doubled with high-pitched arco string swipes which begin the exposition, as the three streak forward with stops, starts and pauses, wriggling the narration into unexpected corners as the three accentuate their extemporaneous contributions.

Articulating a mass of expected basement scoops, sputtering growls and thickened buzzes throughout the piece, the saxophonist’s spontaneous volte-faces encompass pivots to squeaky flattement, altissimo cries, sopranissimo yelps, higher-than-dog whistle shrieks and torques that seem to eviscerate the insides of the saxophone’s body tube.

Not to be outdone Léandre’s arco strops and sweeps are often further vitalized when she adds the occasional almost identical sotto voce comment to the proceedings. Elsewhere often answering Lazro’s move from thickened buzzes to emphasized multiphonics, she output sul ponticello slices in tandem with his playing. Additionally a widening cornucopia of measured stops frequently moves the exposition into the next section.

Mostly the backdrop with cymbal slaps and bare-handed pummels, Lovens sporadically asserts his presence as when a horizontal gallop cuts through the concentrated bass and horn connection during the first sequence and nearly at the conclusion when uniform rim clatters complement the only time Léandre expresses a walking bass line. This turn regularizes coarse reed squeals and double-tonguing with resonating and balanced string rubs and definite unattached cymbal pops into a horizontal sequence which signals the end.

Lovens now 77 and Lazro now 81 may have retired from playing, while Léandre at 74 is still going strong. Still this prosaically titled CD confirms how well they played together a few years ago to create musical magic.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Temps du Corps 1 2. Temps du Corps 2 3. Temps du Corps 3 4. Temps du Corps 4

Personnel: Daunik Lazro (baritone saxophone); Joëlle Léandre (bass) and Paul Lovens (drums)