Reviews

Saxophonist Jean Derome, bassist Normand Guilbeault, and drummer Pierre Tanguay are mainstays of Montréal’s musique actuelle scene, as likely to be found working in the chamber atmosphere of Pierre Cartier’s work as in the rock-tinged Fred Frith zone. However, all three are very fond of jazz and blues, viz. Pierre Tanguay’s neo-swing quintet Reunion or Guilbeault’s Hommage à Mingus sextet.

This recording, which features compositions by Derome going back some thirty years, is squarely within the jazz tradition. The tunes are catchy without sacrificing harmonic and rhythmic complexity. Guilbeault and Tanguay provide a sure-footed, swinging bottom end for Derome’s improvisations. On most tunes Derome plays alto, altering histone according to mood, from the round sound of Marcher sur des braises to the acidic Verone. Pangolin is a slow blues, this time with Derome on baritone digging deep in the bottom end, and on La baignade he switches to flute, with a light-but not precious-feel. Typically, Derome, Guilbeault, and Tanguay work out variations on what appear to be relatively simple themes. The great joy is in hearing three old friends digging into music that means so much to them and discovering the new in the familiar. This album is going to make a few “best of” lists this year, I’m quite sure.