Medeljazz Quartet: Versature

Versature is the third album by Paris-bred guitarist Laurent Medelgi and his quartet, Medeljazz, whose other members are pianist Nicolas Fabre, bassist Yves Rossignol and drummer julien Augier. It should be noted at the outset that the foursome works well together and that nothing on the album is less than admirably performed.

On the other hand, there is not much here to separate Medeljazz from numerous ensembles of similar shape, size and temperament in the U.S., Europe or elsewhere. Medelgi wrote and arranged every one of the album's ten themes, and each one is pleasant and easy on the ears, but seldom more than that. This is decorous music, dexterously performed and quite well-recorded. In other words, good-natured jazz to keep one company when there isn't much else to do.

None of this is meant to be less than positive. These gentlemen are professionals, and it shows. There are no false notes, nor is anyone less than earnest and attentive. In the end, however, there's simply not enough of whatever it takes to capture and hold one's attention, nor to reward repeated listening. The improvisation here is acceptable but less than persuasive with the possible exception of "Sevenot," the album's finale, wherein all hands seem to set aside their constraints and blow with abandon. It's a splendid coda, but one that brings to mind the phrase "too little, too late."

Up to that point, there's an abundance of nice group interplay with occasional digressions by Medelgi and his mates, adding up to nearly an hour of clean and polished music that is certainly passable, but afloat in a very large sea of passable.