Joshua Breakstone • A Jamais

 

Review by Alex Henderson
Joshua Breakstone has never been the most groundbreaking guitarist in the jazz world, but when it comes to making bop-oriented recordings that are pleasingly solid, he usually comes through. Breakstone's chops are impeccable, and even though he is essentially a '50s-minded traditionalist, the guitar virtuoso isn't afraid to think outside the box when it comes to choosing material -- the fact that Breakstone has interpreted a country-pop tune (Willie Nelson's "Crazy") and provided a bop tribute to '60s surf rockers the Ventures (1991's Walk Don't Run) speaks well of him. Those who enjoyed his '80s and '90s output should have no problem getting into A Jamais, which was recorded during a visit to France in 2003 and finds a 48-year-old Breakstone forming a trio with two France-based musicians: bassist Louis Petrucciani (brother of the late pianist Michel Petrucciani) and drummer Joel Allouche. Clearly, Breakstone doesn't buy into the hysterical anti-French hate-mongering that was all over Fox News and American talk radio in 2003, and by recording this CD in Valflaunesse, France in 2003, he did his part to say "Vive la France" and pump some American dollars into the French economy. Not that A Jamais is meant to be any type of political statement; Breakstone's only agenda is a musical agenda, and the guitar trio format serves him well on this album. Breakstone employs no pianist on A Jamais -- strictly guitar, bass and drums, which is just as well because he shines in a trio setting. The guitarist is unaccompanied on his pensive "Chanson des Cevennes" and Bud Powell's "Hallucinations" (the only song on the CD he didn't write), but most of the time, Breakstone is joined by Petrucciani and Allouche -- and both musicians do their part to make A Jamais an enjoyable addition to his catalog.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-jamais-mw0000161928

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Reseña de Alex Henderson
Joshua Breakstone nunca ha sido el guitarrista más innovador en el mundo del jazz, pero cuando se trata de hacer grabaciones orientadas al bop que son agradablemente sólidas, por lo general lo consigue. Las habilidades de Breakstone son impecables, y aunque es esencialmente un tradicionalista de los años 50, el virtuoso de la guitarra no tiene miedo de pensar fuera de la caja cuando se trata de elegir el material - el hecho de que Breakstone haya interpretado un tema country-pop (Willie Nelson «Crazy») y proporcionado un tributo bop a los surf rockers de los años 60, los Ventures (1991 Walk Don't Run) habla bien de él. Aquellos que disfrutaron con su producción de los 80 y los 90 no deberían tener problemas para adentrarse en A Jamais, que fue grabado durante una visita a Francia en 2003 y en el que Breakstone, de 48 años, forma un trío con dos músicos afincados en Francia: el bajista Louis Petrucciani (hermano del fallecido pianista Michel Petrucciani) y el batería Joel Allouche. Está claro que Breakstone no se traga el histerismo antifrancés que se extendió por Fox News y las emisoras de radio estadounidenses en 2003, y al grabar este CD en Valflaunesse (Francia) en 2003, hizo su parte para decir «Vive la France» e inyectar algunos dólares estadounidenses en la economía francesa. No es que A Jamais pretenda ser ningún tipo de declaración política; la única agenda de Breakstone es una agenda musical, y el formato de trío de guitarras le sirve bien en este álbum. Breakstone no emplea a ningún pianista en A Jamais, sólo guitarra, bajo y batería, y menos mal, porque brilla en formato de trío. El guitarrista está solo en su pensativa «Chanson des Cevennes» y en «Hallucinations» de Bud Powell (la única canción del CD que no escribió), pero la mayor parte del tiempo, Breakstone está acompañado por Petrucciani y Allouche - y ambos músicos hacen su parte para que A Jamais sea una agradable adición a su catálogo.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-jamais-mw0000161928

Tracks:
1 - A Jamais (Forever)
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 4:51
2 - B's Way
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 5:50
3 - Taken For Granted
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 5:03
4 - Tomorrow's Hours
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 6:37
5 - Raids On The Unspeakable
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 7:07
6 - 1802
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 6:01
7 - Chanson de Cevennes (Song of the Cevennes) (solo guitar)
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 4:01
8 - Arriverderci MOMA
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 5:04
9 - Sittin' On The Thing With Ming
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 6:47
10 - On The Wall
Composed By – Joshua Breakstone 3:16
11 - Hallucinations (solo guitar)
Composed By – Bud Powell 2:43


Credits:
    Bass – Louis Petrucciani
    Drums – Joël Allouche
    Executive-Producer – Tom Burns*
    Guitar, Producer – Joshua Breakstone
    Mastered By, Edited By – Katsuhiko Naito
    Photography By, Layout, Design – Nathalie Breakstone
    Recorded By – Dominique Suard, Patrick Jeaunneau

Recorded 08/29/03 at Studio de Valfo, Valflaunesse, France.

Label:    Capri Records (6) – 74065-2
Country:    US
Released:    2004
Genre:    Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/es/release/7851482-Joshua-Breakstone-A-Jamais?srsltid=AfmBOoqIXaG8r1UmuC2wiAUNuRQ-_P4IbW1A-PxCf0Z5eQFsoOPyTNfl

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