The Halifax-based duo of Arthur Bull and Daniel Heïkalo appear as smitten with the sonic possibilities of the guitar as Brady, athought they work exclusively at low volume, creating dialogues of rattling strings, percussive scrapes and slithery e-bow slides. Their open-ended improvisations require close listening to reveal the full spectrum of sound.

At their most effective, on the eight-minute tiltle track, the tow can create intense mosaics that ressemble an Indian raga in both intensity and form, or-on Trente-deux légions de bilboquets visigoths- generate the tonality and flow of a gamelan group.

But those types of long-form workouts are the exception. More frequenly Bull and Heïkalo indulge in brief scurrying exchanges such as the flurry of electric and acoustic notes that fly on Whatever That Chord Was… (It Had To Be The Final Chord). It’s worth nothing that this closing song marks the only time that Heïkalo employs and unadulterated acoustic tone.

This disc was recorded live in Quebec in 1997, with Jean Derome on saxophones, flute and various small wind instruments and Pierre Tanguay on drums, voice and percussion. Most of the pieces seem to have a mix of composed and improvised parts. The vibe is generally light and even silly at times, although that’s not meant to imply anything about the level of playing; Derome and Tanguay are both sensitive, dynamic players with enough range to pull off the lighter stuff without looking like lightweights. And when it’s time to squeal, well, they can do that too! The mix of composed and improvised sections is this disc’s main asset; the tunes pull you in and help you keep track of where you are, while the spazz-out sections keep things from getting too Kenny G (although Derome’s sax veers dangerously close to lite-jazz a couple of times during Djuni). I imagine that these tracks would be a lot more fun live than on CD, as is often the case — particularly given this duo’s good natured energy and dynamic playing style. They seem to play at lots of jazz festivals, so check them out if you can.

La soirée de ce vendredi 6 juillet devrait être vue comme une chance. Ce soir, à 20h30 au Lion d’Or, le plus que guitariste André Duchesne sera à la tête du No Band’s Land. On le souligne, on le répète, c’est une chance. Duchesne est l’un des musiciens les plus convaincants qui soit. Une espèce d’assurance. En quoi? On n’est jamais déçu. On est toujours séduit par sa démarche qui a ceci de singulière qu’elle est très personnelle.

In terms of emotional depth and sheer exuberance, however, Canada’s almost unclassifiable duo Jean Derome and Joane Hétu’s appearance at Subiaco was a festival highlight. Whether expressing rage over political hypocrisy or celebrating the human spirit, the artists’ idiosyncratic melange of French vocals, saxophones and simple melodic instruments communicated a universality of wit and feeling that rendered any language barrier redundant.