Review by Thom Jurek
The occasion for this trio to work together was a 2010 concert that celebrated violinist Jean-Luc Ponty's 50th anniversary as a recording artist. Both the violinist and Stanley Clarke had collaborated before (a previous electric trio set with Al Di Meola, The Rite of Strings was issued in 1995), but neither had collaborated with French jazz guitarist Biréli Lagrène prior to that evening. In playing for a mere 20 minutes, they created the impetus for D-Stringz -- though it took two years for them to clear their schedules and get into a Brussels studio. These ten tunes are an assortment of standards and originals. The album is an acoustic, straight-ahead date that employs flawless swinging bop and post-bop, as well as 21st century takes on gypsy and soul-jazz and funk. John Coltrane's "Blue Train" is offered in cut time. Ponty covers the horn lines while Lagrène plays choppy, meaty chords and Clarke redefines the bass' role in a walking 12-bar blues. Ponty's solo offers the right amount of flash and punch, touching on both gypsy and modal jazz traditions. Lagrène syncopates his butt off in the changes. The reading of Joe Zawinul's Cannonball Adderley vehicle, "Mercy Mercy Mercy," is a showcase for Lagrène's gorgeous chord voicings. Ponty's solo nearly sings, and further, a call-and-response exchange between Clarke and the guitarist -- before the latter's slippery solo -- is gritty and tight. In another Coltrane reference, the reading of Jimmy McHugh's and Harold Adamson's "Too Old to Go Steady" (that the saxophonist rendered so beaut-fully on Ballads in 1963) offers a lovely conversation between the guitarist and violinist, but it's Clarke's counterpoint that steals the show. Given the trio's collective love of Django Reinhardt, it makes sense they would cover his iconic "Nuages." Ponty moves it along the ledge by rendering it contemporary; he provides a simmering bossa lilt in the melody. The bassist's "Bit of Burd" is fleet, driving bebop; everyone is on fire, but Lagrène's arpeggios are on stun. The guitarist's "Strech" binds progressive jazz, modernism, post-bop, and gypsy swing. Ponty's "To and Fro," built on a four-note riff, allows the trio to really stretch out and get their funk on. In the latter, Clarke's bassline is fat, woody, and hard-grooving. The closer, "One Take," is built on a simple two-chord vamp. Loping violin and guitar lines twist, turn, and soar, creating a lithe, breezy, funky feel but Clarke whomps down hard, binding them to the tune's groove. The sound on D-Stringz is warm and bright, but so pristine, it lends an intimate living room feel to the proceedings. All the playing is relaxed, inquisitive and inventive. D-Stringz is the sound of musical invention and delight put on offer directly. It is a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.
The occasion for this trio to work together was a 2010 concert that celebrated violinist Jean-Luc Ponty's 50th anniversary as a recording artist. Both the violinist and Stanley Clarke had collaborated before (a previous electric trio set with Al Di Meola, The Rite of Strings was issued in 1995), but neither had collaborated with French jazz guitarist Biréli Lagrène prior to that evening. In playing for a mere 20 minutes, they created the impetus for D-Stringz -- though it took two years for them to clear their schedules and get into a Brussels studio. These ten tunes are an assortment of standards and originals. The album is an acoustic, straight-ahead date that employs flawless swinging bop and post-bop, as well as 21st century takes on gypsy and soul-jazz and funk. John Coltrane's "Blue Train" is offered in cut time. Ponty covers the horn lines while Lagrène plays choppy, meaty chords and Clarke redefines the bass' role in a walking 12-bar blues. Ponty's solo offers the right amount of flash and punch, touching on both gypsy and modal jazz traditions. Lagrène syncopates his butt off in the changes. The reading of Joe Zawinul's Cannonball Adderley vehicle, "Mercy Mercy Mercy," is a showcase for Lagrène's gorgeous chord voicings. Ponty's solo nearly sings, and further, a call-and-response exchange between Clarke and the guitarist -- before the latter's slippery solo -- is gritty and tight. In another Coltrane reference, the reading of Jimmy McHugh's and Harold Adamson's "Too Old to Go Steady" (that the saxophonist rendered so beaut-fully on Ballads in 1963) offers a lovely conversation between the guitarist and violinist, but it's Clarke's counterpoint that steals the show. Given the trio's collective love of Django Reinhardt, it makes sense they would cover his iconic "Nuages." Ponty moves it along the ledge by rendering it contemporary; he provides a simmering bossa lilt in the melody. The bassist's "Bit of Burd" is fleet, driving bebop; everyone is on fire, but Lagrène's arpeggios are on stun. The guitarist's "Strech" binds progressive jazz, modernism, post-bop, and gypsy swing. Ponty's "To and Fro," built on a four-note riff, allows the trio to really stretch out and get their funk on. In the latter, Clarke's bassline is fat, woody, and hard-grooving. The closer, "One Take," is built on a simple two-chord vamp. Loping violin and guitar lines twist, turn, and soar, creating a lithe, breezy, funky feel but Clarke whomps down hard, binding them to the tune's groove. The sound on D-Stringz is warm and bright, but so pristine, it lends an intimate living room feel to the proceedings. All the playing is relaxed, inquisitive and inventive. D-Stringz is the sound of musical invention and delight put on offer directly. It is a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.
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Reseña por Thom Jurek
La
ocasión para que este trío trabajara en conjunto fue un concierto de
2010 que celebró el 50 aniversario del violinista Jean-Luc Ponty como
artista de grabación. Tanto
el violinista como Stanley Clarke habían colaborado antes (un trío
eléctrico anterior con Al Di Meola, The Rite of Strings se emitió en
1995), pero ninguno había colaborado con el guitarrista de jazz francés
Biréli Lagrène antes de esa noche. Al
jugar por solo 20 minutos, crearon el ímpetu para D-Stringz, aunque
tardaron dos años en limpiar sus horarios y entrar en un estudio de
Bruselas. Estas diez melodías son una variedad de estándares y originales. El
álbum es una fecha acústica y directa que emplea bop y post-bop
impecables, así como el siglo XXI que toma gips y soul-jazz y funk. El "Tren azul" de John Coltrane se ofrece en tiempo de corte. Ponty
cubre las líneas de la bocina mientras Lagrène toca acordes harapientos
y entrecortados, y Clarke redefine el papel del bajo en un blues de 12
compases. El solo de Ponty ofrece la cantidad justa de destello y golpe, tocando las tradiciones gitanas y modales del jazz. Lagrène sincopia su trasero en los cambios. La
lectura del vehículo Cannonball Adderley de Joe Zawinul, "Mercy Mercy
Mercy", es un escaparate de las magníficas voces de acordes de Lagrène. El
solo de Ponty casi canta, y más aún, un intercambio de llamadas y
respuestas entre Clarke y el guitarrista, antes del resbaladizo solo de
este último, es áspero y estrecho. En
otra referencia de Coltrane, la lectura de "Too Old to Go Steady" de
Jimmy McHugh y Harold Adamson (que el saxofonista interpretó de manera
tan bella en Ballads en 1963) ofrece una conversación encantadora entre
el guitarrista y el violinista, pero es el contrapunto de Clarke que
roba el show. Dado el amor colectivo de Django Reinhardt por el trío, tiene sentido que cubran su icónico "Nuages". Ponty lo mueve a lo largo de la repisa haciéndolo contemporáneo; Él proporciona una bossa a fuego lento en la melodía. "Bit of Burd", del bajista, es una flota que maneja el bebop; todos están en llamas, pero los arpegios de Lagrène están en aturdimiento. El "Strech" del guitarrista se une al jazz progresivo, el modernismo, el post-bop y el swing gitano. "To and Fro" de Ponty, construido en un riff de cuatro notas, permite que el trío realmente se estire y ponga su funk. En este último, la línea de bajo de Clarke es gorda, leñosa y dura de ranurado. El cerrador, "One Take", está construido sobre un simple vampiro de dos acordes. Las
líneas de violín y guitarra de Loping se retuercen, giran y se
disparan, creando una sensación ágil, ventosa y funky, pero Clarke a
quien se para con fuerza, uniéndolos al ritmo de la melodía. El sonido en D-Stringz es cálido y brillante, pero tan prístino que aporta un ambiente íntimo a la sala de estar. Todo el juego es relajado, inquisitivo e inventivo. D-Stringz es el sonido de la invención musical y deleite que se ofrece directamente. Es una experiencia auditiva muy agradable.
Tracks:
01. Strech
02. To And Fro
03. Too Young To Go Steady
04. Bit Of Burd
05. Nuages
06. Childhood Memories
07. Blue Train
08. Paradigm Shift
09. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
10. One Take
Stanley Clarke (Double bass, Guitarron bass)
Biréli Lagrène (Acoustic guitar)
Jean-Luc Ponty (Violin)
Steve Shehan (Percussion).
2015
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