For the
13th edition of Jazz
En Rafale, the weather gods were downright mean
this year, punishing the city with Arctic temperatures for the
entire festival, and then, for good measure, dumping 40 centimeters
of snow into the mix. The cold might have impacted negatively
on attendance but it did not dampen the spirit and enthusiasm
of the intrepid for whom the city’s first major music happening
is a must.
Last
year, the emphasis was on the bass; this year the lead instrument
was percussion as revealed by an all-star cast of percussionists
from around the world.
Jean
Pierre-Zanella’s Project Québec-Brésil jump
started the festival thanks in large part to the multi-faceted
percussion work of Maguinho Alcantara and 
Ronaldo
Silva, who, at the invitation of the Brazilian Consulate, were
flown into Montreal for a meeting of the spirits. The set included
several Brazil-influenced originals by Zanella, and a memorably
brilliant, haunting version of “Águas de Março”
(Waters of March ), that was not helped by pianist Rafael Zaldivar’s
minimalist intervention. He began his solo repeating the same
chord 22 consecutive times, effectively assuming the role of lobotomizer-in-chief
(a pounding from which my IQ still hasn’t recovered). As
if in answer to Zaldivar’s preternaturally constricted focus,
the set produced one of the festival highlights in the person
of Remi-Jean Leblanc, whose absolutely gorgeous, tender and extended
bass intro to “Bossashana” could not be improved on.
When
we think of Brian Blade, one word comes to mind: incomparable.
I’m normally leery (the gentille word) of percussion solos
and percussion in general, in large part because percussionists
tend to upstage (ignore the volume controls) the concept they
have been asked to serve.
But so
vibrant, inventive and madly inspired was Blade’s conceptual
percussion accompaniment -- at moments as lyrical as pure song
-- I had trouble concentrating on the other Fellowship Band musicians,
in particular, the superb bass work of Chris Thomas. In typical
Fellowship fashion, the music eschewed the affected commotion
produced by intellect-generated, convoluted time signatures that
have become de rigueur, and instead allowed the heart
and soul their natural voice in music that at times drew upon
gospel in order to evoke transcendence.
In another
top-notch concert that revealed the melodic possibilities of percussion,
kudos must go to New York’s Ari Hoenig, whose vast repertoire
of sounds consists of off-the-clock time-keeping, heavy metal
licks and crashes and the silence of deep space.
Among
the many discoveries in this year’s Rafale was the Pascal
Schumacher Quartet. In the hammer and manner of drum sticks, Schumacher’s
wonderfully wielded mallets produced waves of sounds and textures
that easily accomodated expert improvisation thanks to the sum
of musical skills brought to a refreshingly original set of new
compositions by classically trained musicians. I fully expect
the Quartet’s North American debut to be the first of many
encores.
For those
for whom conventional melody and harmony are anathema, the TrioTanguay
Bourassa Derome delivered a wonderfully dissonant, dystopic playlist
replete with herniated time signatures, whip-lashed modulations
and entropic theme and variations. Speaking with a transfigured
heavy metalist just after the concert, the young woman confessed
that she had never been able to get into jazz until now. So in
the all important building bridges category, the Trio Tanguay
delivered in spades. Second only to Brian Blade, Pierre Tanguy's
understated percussion work and matching the music to the apposite
drum was a festival delight and learning experience.
If only
for this reviewer, one of the great pleasures of Jazz en Rafale
is its New Talent Contest. I’ve said it before and it bears
repetition, listening to tomorrow’s already arrived up and
coming new musicians is a reminder that the future of jazz is
in very capable hands. This year’s not unworthy but odd
choice of winner was the Robert Flood Sextet: they don’t
play jazz and they don’t have a percussionist, which, in
the context of a percussion oriented jazz festival, is at the
very least thought provoking. But the winner wins a contract with
the Effendi label, which up to now hasn't paid sufficient heed
to diversification: the Sextet will enhance the generic Effendi
sound with its complex arrangements, emphasis on composition and
striking harmonies. Last year’s winner, the Beck Noble Sextet,
proved they were more than worthy of the honour. Their festival
launched CD Salish Folk Song featured strong and memorable
melody lines throughout, creative time signatures and keen guitar
work from Nick Di Giovanni.
Cold
weather be damned, Jazz en Rafale once again warmed the heart
and readied the ear for another season in jazz.
Since
a photograph is worth a 1000 notes, I can’t think of a more
app denouement than photographer Chantal Levesque’s “Take
Five.”
Photos
© Chantal Levesque
1. Ari
Hoenig
2. Ronaldo Silva
3. Brian Blade
4. Pascal Schumacher
5. Pierre Tanguay
6.Jean-Pierre Zanella
7. John Roney & Fred Alari
8. Fred Alari
9. Ronaldo Silva
10. Anne Paceo
