Michel Edelin

Covid-19 restrictions put an end to the bias against telematic improvisation and the opposition to overdubbing. If a musician was confined to his or her home how else could the person make creative sounds? However there’s a difference between recording out of necessity and expanding creativity. It’s the later that French flutist Michel Edelin has explored on this 15-track disc. Edelin, usually found in the company of everyone from Nicole Mitchell to Jérôme Bourdellon, instead marks this session playing seven types of end blown or transverse flutes backed by or associated with synthesizer and small percussion instruments.

A display of singular accomplishment, Noria 2021’s tracks emphasize rhythm and melodic transformation as well as effects. In fact, the overlays are so efficiently crafted that group creativity could almost be imagined. Call and response from regular flute and bass flute on the title track, for instance, has the two entities passing curlicue tones between them; while “Children’s round” is just that, a rondo that joins pristine airy notes from one flute and basement tones from the other, backed by chunky percussion. Using a Caribbean flute on “Full Moon Dance” means that clarion snuffles attached to scrapping percussion can later be liberated to a bouncy tremolo; whereas the contrast of lip burbles and mellow tonguing on “Earth” suggests subtle stop-time swing.

“Mansaké” is the most representative tour-de-force however as Edelin times his improvisations so that first one edge-blown flutter states the theme, then a second responds to it and finally a third decorates the two previous lines with penetrating trills. Adding responsive percussion the exposition creates a continuum which helps move the faux-collaboration to a finale.

Now that Covid restrictions have lessened, Edelin isn’t likely to want to produce more solo sessions. However Noria 2021 proves that he could easily do so if he wishes.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Saturn Rings 2. Infinity 3. Tropics 4. Full Moon Dance 5. Children’s round 6. Circus 7. Noria 8. Three Up Four Down #1 9. Mansaké 10. Ballad Dallab 11. Steamboat Blues 12. Three Up Four Down #2 13. The Ferris Wheel 14. Earth 15. Cabstan

Personnel: Michel Edelin (piccolo, flute, alto flute, Caribbean flute, recorder, ocarina, flute key claps, octaver, synth bass, small percussion)