Stephane Kerecki

“Houria”

(Zig-Zag Territories ZZT 090401)

Stephane Kerecki is a double bassist and composer with an impressive pedigree on the fertile French jazz scene. He is joined here by two similarly gifted young compatriots in the form of saxophonist Matthieu Donarier and drummer Thomas Grimmonprez. The trio, a regular working unit, is augmented by a special guest in the form of American saxophonist Tony Malaby and the result is a powerful album with improvisation at it’s core as the newly formed quartet extemporise on Kerecki’s strong but relatively simple compositional ideas.

“Houria” is an Arabic term that means “freedom” and the title references both freedom in the musical sense and Kerecki’s love of North African music and its 6/8 rhythms. Compositionally he has kept the writing on “Houria” relatively simple and open with the aim of leaving room for as much improvisation as possible. Malaby, who cut his teeth with bassist Mark Helias’ Open Loose group alongside drummer Tom Rainey is the ideal partner for this approach and many of the pieces on “Houria” were first takes.

The two sax front line may recall the UK’s Polar Bear but the music sounds very different. There is a higher degree of improvisation, both saxophonists double on soprano and Kerecki’s love of North African music is frequently referenced. Elsewhere there is a series of brief improvised duets between Kerecki and Malaby with the compositional credits being given to both and an arrangement of Oliver Messiaen’s “O Sacrum Convivium” that pays homage to Kerecki’s upbringing with sacred music.

Much of “Houria” has a free-wheeling quality that recalls the music of Ornette Coleman and other saxophone led, chordless improvising groups. Kerecki himself is a huge, Mingus like presence on double bass and he begins the album with an unaccompanied bass solo at the opening of “Macadam”. Bass and drums create a powerful but flexible undertow for the sinuous, intertwining saxophones of Malaby and Donarier. There is an unmistakable North African feel about the piece and a strong theme that maintains a sense of structure no matter how far Malaby probes in his solos.
Grimmonprez also shines on with a dramatic passage for solo drums.

“Une Ange Passe” shows the more sensitive side of the band, a kind of abstract ballad with surprisingly tender saxophone work, neatly energetic brushed drum accompaniment and the grounding presence of Kerecki’s bass. The leader is also highly effective on a solo that illustrates not only his huge tone and phenomenal technique but also his intelligence and flexibility.

The jaunty title track is even more strikingly North African with its infectious 6/8 rhythms and the “ethnic” quality of the remarkable saxophone playing with Donarier on tenor and Malaby on soprano.  Wonderful stuff.

“A l’air libre” has both saxophonists on soprano and the piece opens with a delightfully airy saxophone duet. The rarefied air continues throughout, even after the introduction of subtly colourful bass and drums. It’s all very lovely.

“Palabre” by contrast is almost funky with Grimmonprez laying down a solid backbeat that provides the jumping off point for some dazzling solos by the saxophonists with Donarier on tenor and Malaby on mercurial soprano. The inspiration here is Moroccan trance music but it’s the fiery playing of the quartet that really makes things take off.

The brief “Duo 1” is the first of three intriguing short dialogues between Kerecki and Malaby and acts as staging post before the exploratory “Suite For Tony”, a shortened version of a much longer composition. With much of the through composed content removed the emphasis is on improvisation with the group engaging in colourful dialogue around another strong Kerecki theme. The sense of balance between the written and the improvised is particularly strong here and the playing is as exemplary as ever with Grimmonprez’s colourful percussion particularly effective.

The brooding “Fable” features a strong tenor contribution from Donarier who is excellent throughout and more than just a foil for the more widely known Malaby. The American features here with some more splendidly biting soprano and there is also a feature for Kerecki’s expressive bass.

“Duo 2” is short and spiky and crams a lot of information into its fifty four seconds. It’s the precursor to the Colemanesque “Satellise”.

The quartet’s version of the Oliver Messiaen composed “O Sacrum Convivium” is delightful and just beautiful with the mood of refined contemplation carrying over into “Duo 3”, the final and most effective of the Kerecki/Malaby duets.

The closing “Secret d’Orielle” is a little gem with fragile, ethnic sounding reeds delicately sketching ideas above the leader’s solid bass and Grimmonprez’s delightfully detailed faux na?ve percussion.

It’s not easy to find words to describe just how good this album is. Kerecki’s blend of composition and improvisation and of North African and Western methods and rhythms is fascinating in itself. His ability to mix moods and colours is even more impressive with the emotional range varying from the meditative to the celebratory. This mix of beauty and power makes for a totally absorbing record that engages the listener on many levels. Then of course there is the musicianship which is superb throughout. Malaby sounds as if he’s been playing with the trio for years but the contribution from everybody is just excellent. Pinpoint production is the icing on the cake and it’s easy to see why this album has been so popular in France where it has been nominated for several awards.

Kerecki launches this album in the UK at Pizza Express, London on June 15th 2010 with a further date at Dean Clough in Halifax on June 17th. Catch him if you can.

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