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Philippe Cote / Francois Bourassa: Confluence
ByThe five-part "Confluence Suite," penned by Cote, serves as the centerpiece. All instrumental possibilities are visitedtwo pianos, soprano and tenor saxophones and prepared piano. It is about water. "The Forks" pays tribute to Fork in Winnipeg, the meeting place of two rivers; "When Blue Meets White" speaks of the junction of the Blue and White Niles; "Ganges: Purification" pays tribute to India's ritual bathing practice.
Bourassa's "Tour 1" kicks off the album. "Tour 2" closes it. Both showcase the modern classical influence on the composer.
The music displays haunting beauty and subdued eloquence, full of liquid kaleidoscopes in a limited color rangebrown, blue, and green. The tunes are melodically malleable, magically understated and deeply searching. The addition of prepared piano on "Muted Song, "Confluence" and "On Duty"' adds an exotic, flattened, marimba-like percussive flavor to the proceedings, while "Chire" is by turns playful and serious, featuring soprano sax and piano in a nod to minimalist composer Steve Reich. Cote's "Hushed Song" is another tenor sax/piano rumination that plays out as a statement of minimalist majesty.
Confluence proves itself not a minor work at all, but rather a major one, a profound tale told in an unpretentious and beautiful way.
Track Listing
Tour 1; 1190 Chemin de las Montagne; Muted Song; Confluence Suite (The Forks; When Blue Meets White; Ganges--Purification; Rideau Falls; Archipel d'Hochelaga) Chire; Truc; On Duty; Hushed Song; Tour 2.
Personnel
Philippe Cote
composer / conductorFrancois Bourassa
pianoAlbum information
Title: Confluence | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Odd Sound Records
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About Philippe Cote
Instrument: Composer / conductor
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