Pierre-Yves Martel sera will be in concert at Église Saint-Merri in Paris on June 24, 2010, at 8pm in the Série Imprudences and also at the Espace Jemmapeson on July 1 at 8pm at Festival R-de-choc.

Jean Félix Mailloux will be in concert at Église du Gesù on June 22, 2010, at noon. Improvisation, composition and interpretation of Ode d’Espagne from François Rabbath. It is possible to bring a lunch and eat in the church. The concert ends at 1pm. Suggested contribution: $5.

Bozzini Quartet will be performing during the Suoni Per Il Popolo at La Sala Rossa on June 22, 2010 at 8:00 pm. On the programme: Variations III (1962-63) by John Cage, and improvisations.

Orchestre carnavalesque, mixte et multigénérationnel de 20 musiciens, la joyeuse troupe que diriqe Jean Derome et Némo Venba récidive avec un quatrième opus. Quinze compositions originales se baladant habilement entre des tendances klezmer, musique tzigane, cirque, fête foraine, valse musette, chansons françaises swignées, notes latines, ou encore style cajun à banjo… Mais si vous voulez saisir en «live» l’énergie et l’enthousiasme de cette réunion de cuivres, bois, accordéons, cordes et tambours, deux occasions ce week-end de rencontrer la Fanfare Pourpour: ce soir, 18h30, coin Mont-Royal et De Bullion, dans le cadre de Nuit blanche sur Tableau Noir, et samedi, 18h, à la Place Dufresne du Quartier Sainte-Marie. ★★★

Ugly Beauties is the first CD for the threesome of Lerner (piano), Brubeck (cello) and Fraser (drums). Difficult to place this music in a context without resorting to typical definitions. There is a lot of improvisation mixed with carefully trimmed material; there aren’t surpluses of extended techniques, although the musicians do explore more peripheral regions of the instruments when the time is right. Definitely it’s not something linked to reductionism, for the interplay mostly generates rather dense textural interconnections and clear phrases that, even when a rarefaction of events prevails, glow as luminous stars in a summer sky. Ultimately, what’s this record like?

The answer is “nothing that I can call to mind at this instant”. The trio is nimble and precise in the exposition, the playing revealing a degree of contrapuntal poetry — atonal romanticism, if you will — quite frequently, letting us catch glimpses of untainted ability that never figures as the motivation for germ-free exercises. The improvisations may appear nonchalant in their manifestation but consequential as far as technical grounding and plausibility of creative choices are concerned. A concession is made to a couple of stylish digressions, and there’s a swinging interlude in Harold Lloyd that sincerely was better left out. Fortunately, these are rare occurrences: for the large part, the quality of the instrumental interaction is so rewarding — just check the gorgeous Ding An Sich — that one’s immediately pushed to listen to it again, in order to comprehend the actual reasons behind a work that doesn’t strike that hard, yet digs deep enough to warrant a laudatory mention. A gracious treat to the ears, full of great tones and distinctive acoustic perspectives, in spite of the impermanence of a proper characterization in our memory.

Dans le cadre d’un double-lancement de disque de la toujours évoluante étiquette &records, le Festival Suoni per il Popolo nous offrait une rare chance de voir une prestation solo du maître du violon alto, Jean René.

Sous une stature godardienne, c’est plutôt un personnage d’une élégante modestie qui s’éprît de la scène. Favorisant l’alto électrique (instrument principal du nouvel album), Jean René hypnotisa rapidement son auditoire à l’aide d’une série de boucles, placées en superposition avec un jeu précis et recherché. Atmosphérisme corsé et virtuosité brute s’enchaînèrent créant un microcosme rappelant la performance qu’avait offert la trompettiste Elaine Evans dans le cadre de l’édition précédente de ce même festival.

Une performance brève, certes, mais prenante, concise, ne laissant que place à la hâte de la prochaine.