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Asynchrone: Plastic Bamboo
ByPlastic Bamboo makes a strong bid for the attention of anyone who ever enjoyed early 1980s electro-funk, in particular the artists then being championed by New York's Tommy Boy Records, and/or who enjoys the melodious end of the free-jazz spectrum as performed by Billy Bang and Frank Lowe's The Jazz Doctors or Pharoah Sanders with Alice Coltrane.
Sakamoto passed in March 2023, but Asynchrone had begun exploring his music back in 2020, recording Plastic Bamboo in February 2023; the album was conceived as a loving but not overly reverential celebration of a living composer. Mayot is the most prominent soloist, on vocalized post-Sanders tenor on five tracks and on bass clarinet, again vocalized, on two more: "Ubi" (see the video below) and the closer, "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence." Peskine plays by turn expansive and prettily delicate piano. Significantly, it is those three instruments which most stick in the mind, for one of the several beautiful aspects of Plastic Bamboo is that electronica does not elbow its way centrestage and hog the spotlight, even though Soulard's synths and drum machines are a core feature of the sound.
Is Plastic Bamboo jazz? Yes. And no. But it begs to be played again rightaway.
Track Listing
Plastic Bamboo; Expecting Rivers; Neue Tanz; Thatness And Thereness; Differencia; Behind The Mask; Boku No Kakera; Riot In Lagos; Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.
Personnel
Asynchrone
band / ensemble / orchestraDelphine Joussein
fluteHugues Mayot
saxophone, tenorManuel Peskine
pianoClément petit
celloFrederic Soulard
synthesizerVincent Taeger
drumsAdditional Instrumentation
Hugues Mayot: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Frederic Soulard; synths, drum machines.
Album information
Title: Plastic Bamboo | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: No Format !
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About Asynchrone
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
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