Tõnu Kaljuste Conductor
Tõnu Kaljuste Conductor
This is the ECM debut by French clarinettist and saxophonist, Louis Sclavis, and a remarkably confident and accomplished debut it is too. Sclavis has for a long time brought an eclectic mixture to his music from jazz to chamber music and traditional music from his native France, all held together by his original compositions, virtuosic playing on clarinet and bass clarinet and edge of your seat improvisations. It is fascinating to hear this album again, and one quickly realises just how developed his concept already was at this time.
Right from the outset, 'Go' has some startlingly imaginative interplay between Sclavis and violinist, Dominique Pifarély; and his writing for the quintet quintet as a unit is demonstrated on 'Nacht' with generous space given to the excellent bass playing of Bruno Chevillon. The bassist is also prominent on 'Les Bouteilles' in the introduction played as a duet with the leader's bass clarinet, before the piece is opened up by drummer Christian Ville and allowed to fly with François Raulin's fleet fingered synthesizer solo.
The long 'Face Nord' is packed with incident from Sclavis' opening statement on soprano saxophone, but it is the long solo from Pifarély that is at the centre of this piece, a thrilling solo of extended techniques on violin and unique lyricism.
A fascinating set that bears repeated listening, not so much as to get a better understanding of the music but just for the pure enjoyment that the album gives.