Daniel Humair - Bruno Chevillon - Marc Ducret - Ellery Eskelin: Liberte Surveillee (2002)

Glenn Astarita

Senior Contributor since 1997

Longtime contributor to AAJ and Downbeat, Jazz Review, EjazzNews, Radio DirectX.

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Published: August 2, 2002

Daniel Humair - Bruno Chevillon - Marc Ducret - Ellery Eskelin: Liberte Surveillee

There’s been a lot of (positive) chatter about this recent release! Firstly, due to the superstar implications of the personnel and secondly for the sheer intensity and roaring firepower, witnessed throughout. Recorded live in Paris, this quartet owns up to its expectations! Daniel Humair has always been a highly regarded drummer within European jazz circles, while tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and guitarist Marc Ducret’s legacies span multiple European and American modern jazz type endeavors. Moreover, Eskelin frequently tours abroad with drummer Jim Black and accordionist Andrea Parkins.

Bassist Bruno Chevillon and Humair provide the soloists with all the ammo they need for a set brimming with dangerously explosive improvisational sequences and maddening, free-bop style excursions. Humair generally throttles his associate’s permutations with swiftly organized polyrhythmic jaunts, consisting of swarming fills and exacting cymbal work. Whereas Ducret injects his signature style electric guitar manipulations into the mix, as he melds wily lines with shrewd employment of volume control and EFX. However, the guitarist also plucks nimble jazz progressions amid Eskelin’s blustery choruses and complexly woven passages. The band tones it down a notch or two on the piece titled “Amalgame” – where Eskelin’s soulful lyricism counteracts Ducret’s subtle dynamics. In some respects, this recording represents a modernist’s dream band. Enjoy! (Passionately recommended)

Sketch

Cadence Distribution

Track Listing: CD1

Personnel: Daniel Humair: drums

Record Label: Sketch
Style: Modern Jazz