Antonio Faraò / Stéphane Belmondo Quartet at Le Duc des Lombards

Antonio Faraò / Stéphane Belmondo Quartet
Le Duc des Lombards
Paris, France
July 18, 2025

As expected, it was full house at Paris' iconic jazz club, Le Duc du Lombard for the Antonio Farao-Stephane Belmondo concert which featured two powerhouse musicians who didn't disappoint as they gave the audience over an hour of steamy music.

Pianist virtuoso Antonio Farao needs no introduction; his talent speaks volume. And that night he was well accompanied. You need to be of a certain caliber to keep up with Faraò and to tackle an almost improvised programme. He found his match with France's influential trumpeter Stephane Belmondo. Teaming up with indispensable sidemen Thomas Bramerie on double bass (who is familiar with Faraò as they both play in the ASTA quartet) and funky Benjamin Henocq on drums, who both held their ground, Bramerie brought along a robust, but warm, sound while Henocq distinguished himself with an unmistakable pulse which he carried throughout the evening.

With no lengthy rehearsals, mainly tackling Faraò's compositions, except for one original by Belmondo and a cover of a standard as the encore, the band performed naturally, developing musical ideas, offered by one player then commented on and added to by the others. That is the beauty when musicians of that level are aligned musically; they automatically forge a connection that not only does not require much preparation but which radiated throughout the evening.

The concert hit full-on with a free tune and it was clear from the get-go that everyone was indeed attentive to the flow of the music, feeding off each other and responding adequately. Belmondo had space to be emotional, delivering a soulful intonation which immediately reminded us that technical flash is not his priority but rather emotional depth. Just like Faraò, he moves the audience through his sensitive delivery and subtle shifts in articulation and tempos, creating particularly emotive narratives. This was most apparent in his composition "The Melancholy of Rita," one of Belmondo's standout originals, where his trumpet delivered a melodic line that breathed with emotional subtleness and a sense of longing.

Faraò's breathtakingly beautiful ballad, "Tender," is known to be a particularly moving piece. That evening, Belmondo's warm tone and Henocq's subtle brushstrokes adorned the piece, clearing the way for Faraò's lyrical side to come front stage. His touch was delicate, his technique was flawless, his phrasing nuanced, especially as it intensified in the second part, but, as usual, it is mainly Faraò's sense of melody that captivates the audience. "Tender" is a sophisticated composition characterized by emotional expressiveness; it is pure Faraò—dynamic, warm, expressive, vulnerable, sincere.

"Sweet," another one of Faraò's compositions, which appeared in his earlier works, gave him the chance to delight listeners with another meditative spell. And for a few minutes, whenever Faraò performs solo, time stands still.

"Memories of Calvi," on the other hand, is a buoyant, lively tune which shows another side of Faraò as a musician—namely, his dynamic and engaging character. It's a nostalgic piece but not in the negative sense; it's full of joy and even though it appeared on Faraò's Tributes (Criss Cross Jazz, 2024) album as an homage to Michel Petrucciani, it was clear it was also an allusion to Faraò-Belmondo's long-standing friendship, as the two met at the Calvi Jazz Festival some 30 years ago.

Faraò pushed the tempo to the edge as he delivered a fiery solo with "MT," another composition from his Tributes album. On those more swinging and energetic compositions, Faraò is exuberant, demonstrating an unbridled vibrancy, technical brilliance and sonal generosity.

Watching and hearing Faraò play live is a whole different ball game—our emotional, aural and visual senses are positively stirred. We witness him simply being free and unrestrained. In these precise instants, it feels as if nothing else exists, or matters, as Faraò gives us moments of pure musical bliss.

All in all, the quartet dazzled listeners from start to finish with an abundance of stellar playing. It was intense—heads bobbed and "oohs and aahs" could occasionally be heard in recognition of brilliance. The musicians were in perfect osmosis and as always, whatever mood Antonio Faraò performs, he leaves you wanting more. He truly is a world unto himself. Until next time...

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