Emie R. Roussel: TERR

Over a career spanning a bit more than a decade, award-winning Canadian pianist Emie R. Roussel has developed a unique style.  It draws on both the Western classical tradition and jazz.  Furthermore, her captivating music is a deft mix of exciting spontaneity and a poetic undercurrent.   Her fourth release as a leader with her working trio is the wistful and cinematic Terr. It consists of seven of Roussel's originals that, in their thematic unity, reflect on humanity's collective experience and the planet we share.  

The title track is a contemplative musing made up of warm, melancholic refrains.  Bassist Nicolas Bédard's dark, electric lines build tension, which drummer Dominic Cloutier enhances with his elegant, restrained cadence.  Within this intriguing framework, Roussel improvises with lyricism and carefully placed silent pauses for dramatic effect. Bédard's muscular solo emerges from the main theme and suavely embellishes it.

Elsewhere, the mystical "L'Echo Des Brumes" (The echo of the mist) starts with Roussel's sublime, unaccompanied melody.  The repeating motifs evolve with each iteration, resulting in a warm, hypnotic ambiance.  Slowly, the sidemen join Roussel, buoying her emotive and intricate pianism. The dynamic composition shimmers darkly and thrills with its otherworldly, folk tale-like charm.

The trio ups the tempo on the following piece, the energetic "John Rêve en Noir et Blanc" (John Dreams in Black and White).  Over Cloutier's propulsive beats, Roussel performs a series of percussive chords.  Bedard, then, adds lean, pulsating basslines while the leader, switching to electric keyboards, weaves a nuanced and haunting extemporization that further solidifies the album's fantastical theme.  A return to the head allows Cloutier to take his turn in the spotlight with agile and thunderous polythyhms that lead to the spirited conclusion.

This stimulating and enjoyable recording closes with the aptly named "Klara Färdiga Gå" ("Ready, Set, Go" in Swedish).  The seamlessly cohesive ensemble play creates a vibrant, bittersweet tune that is both absorbing and memorable.  With it, Roussel is not only preparing for the next chapter in her singular body of work but also communicating the urgency of unity in a fractured world.