Stephane Kerecki Trio - Houria (2009)

French bassist Stéphane Kerecki, who launches this album at London’s Pizza Express Jazz Club on 15 June (featuring his trio with the excellent guest Tony Malaby as an extra sax), is one of the fascinating European jazz prospects of the 21st century. He’s worked with former Steve Lacy partner Steve Potts and many others, as well as performing for years with Algerian singer Djamel Allam, building a familiarity with north-African rhythms that is audible here. Houria ("freedom" in Arabic) is reminiscent of countryman and bassist Henri Texier’s evocative music in its taut group feeling, colourful themes and dynamic balance between composition and improvisation. The title track rocks over a driving north-African 6/8 dance feel and Malaby’s intricate pattern-building tenor solos are arresting. Some of the music, however, is fragile and meditative, church music being very important to Kerecki. There are brief improv duets between Malaby and the bassist, and a suite composed for Malaby passes from a dreamily dirge-like theme, through free-improv and back, with Kerecki’s booming rhythmic figures giving the band immense life." The Guardian - June 3rd 2010 - John Fordham Houria is indeed a revelation. Not so much for the instrumental performances, though these are about as close to perfection as it is possible to get, more for the realization of Kerecki’s concept for the project. This was, he writes in the liner notes, the idea of a "tribal music reconciling primitive rhythms and contemporary harmonies". The album is a synthesis of African dance/trance rhythmes and modern jazz and classical harmonies, a synthesis so subtle and symbiotic that to call it fusion would be to insult it. Chris May, All about jazz,



Tracks:

*01.- Macadam
*02.- Un ange passe (pour Fanny)
*03.- Houria
*04.- A l'air libre
*05.- Palabre
*06.- Duo 1
*07.- Suite for Tony
*08.- Fable
*09.- Duo 2
*10.- Satellise
*11.- O Sacrum Convivium
*12.- Duo 3
*13.- Secret d'oreille (pour Milan)



Personnel:

*Tony Malaby: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone;
*Matthieu Donarier: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone;
*Stephane Kerecki: bass;
*Thomas Grimmonprez: drums.









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