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Yves Léveillé: L’Échelle du Temps
ByThe delicate opening of the title track indicates that the strings will play a pivotal role: they articulate the lush melody while Léveillé is content to provide gentle chordal accompanimentuntil he takes over with a graceful solo. Then the strings again assert themselves as the piece transitions into a new motif, in a much more abstract vein, before the piece returns to its foundational melody. The strings are similarly out-front on "Le Réservoir," with Léveillé content to let his colleagues trace the piece's contours. And they are even more assertive on "Couleur Grenade," announcing the brisk-tempo theme with a darting urgency before Léveillé finally enters a third of the way through with a lovely series of arpeggios to launch an unaccompanied solo. Eventually he is joined by bassist Étienne Lafrance, who takes his own solo turn prior to the rest of the ensemble coming in to conclude the piece with a jaunty brio.
Lafrance serves as a pivot point for the album's shifts between classical and jazz idioms. His subtle swing enlivens "Missive," a lovely piece played largely as a duo with the pianist, and on "Encodage 2.0" he provides an invigorating, jazz-inflected solo that leads Léveillé into his own plucky solo turn, this time with the strings in support. "Une Journée Comme ça" may be an even better example of the way the music can bridge the genres. With a folk-like theme, played at a danceable tempo, the strings' intermittent pizzicato parts provide a rhythmic thrust and Lafrance adds his own dynamic interjections to give the piece its strolling momentum. The album never completely abandons its fundamental chamber-music sensibility, but the moments colored by its jazzier hues provide a lot of its appeal.
Léveillé's classical formalism may make it difficult for jazz purists to latch on to L'Échelle du Temps. The beauty of the music speaks for itself, however. It's a worthy addition to the pianist's catalogue, and hopefully one that will alter his status as one of Quebec's best-kept secrets.
Track Listing
L’Échelle du Temps; Couleur Grenade; Missive; Encodage 2.0; Sans Retour; Une Journée Comme ça; Embrasure; Le Réservoir.
Personnel
Yves Leveille
pianoLizann Gervais
violinOlivier Thouin
violinFrançois Valliéres
violaÉmilie Girard-Charest
celloEtienne Lafrance
bassAlbum information
Title: L’Échelle du Temps | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Effendi Records
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