TOC & Jean-Lluc Guionnet

Creating a single, unbroken, nearly 33½ improvisation that would give multi-tracked, auto-tuned, studio mix-fixed performers cold chills is a quartet of French improvisors who express continuous creativity. Reminiscent of an unadulterated 1960s Free Jazz session, but with electric instruments added, this is a first-time meeting between the long-established French TOC trio and Gallic alto saxophonist Jean-Luc Guionnet.

Besides his own projects, Guionnet is a founding member of the lower-case Hubbub ensemble, whereas the members of TOC – keyboardist Jérémie Ternoy, guitarist Ivann Cruz and drummer Peter Orins – have worked with international and local players such as Satoko Fujii, Sakina Abdou, Christian Pruvost among others.

Starting off understated, “Quelques idées d’un vert incolore dorment furieusement”, translated as “a few colorless green ideas lie dormant, seething with fury”, soon reaches that fury as reed slurs, guitar picking, drum undertones and keyboard sighs quickly consolidate. As string flanges, drum ruffs and reed screeches accelerate, balancing on a vortex of electric piano currents, the journey towards opaque excess is resolutely ruptured with individual asides.

Evan as the thickened intensity is slathered all over the sound field with hardening interaction as drones, squeals, rumbles and clang bleed into one another, fragmented timbres are interjected. Circularly breathed reed multiphonics pause for bedlam cries or squeezed split tones; pinpointed drum thwacks interrupt backbeat percussion ruffs; the guitarist moves between chugging rhythmic ripples to exotic finger picking and twangs; while keyboard washes are broken up with computer game-like timbral cascades and poings.

Having attained a musical identity made up of equal parts improv, hard rock and linear motion, Orins’ singular ruff signals a decelerating narrative in the final minute, wrapped up the narrative with a reflective guitar chord. Having demonstrated the excitement engendered by yet another collaboration, all the players can be fulfilled with a job well done.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Quelques idées d’un vert incolore dorment furieusement

Personnel: Jean-Luc Guionnet (alto saxophone); Jérémie Ternoy (Fender Rhodes, piano bass); Ivann Cruz (guitar) and Peter Orins (drums)