Belgian violinist and physical movement specialist Cécile Broché has written a heartfelt and playful love letter to the city of Paris, home to everyday people dressed up as dreamers, poets, travellers and more.
Working around found sounds and interweaving the thoughtful sentiments of her fellow players, pianist Russ Lossing and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, so that it becomes a windswept and all-encompassing traipse across the city; taking in cafes, Métro stations, markets and more, enveloped by and embracing completely the quotidian city life that generates its own element of the soundtrack.
The players dip and weave around, skipping around the various greetings of “Bonjour, Bonjour”. They scamper through streets, in and out of subway stations, steaming through the Gare du Nord, all lit-up by passers-by and they sprinkle their improv magic wherever they go. The jazzy sparkles fully mesh with Cecile’s obvious love of bodily movement and you can sense in her playing the physical fluidity as piano and drums are caught up in the infectious nature. As a paean to such a well-loved place, it comes from an oblique angle, as if seen through a transient’s eyes. It moves strangely, arrhythmically at points, absorbing everything in a rush, assimilating and then processing, leaving a surreptitious voyage through the city as we listen in on conversations then move on.Frazzled violin attacks with tumbling drums evoke dashing headlong through unknown streets and happening upon the hubbub of a market. Moods change as we progress, “Prélude à l’après-midi, République” delighting in a lush groove, Hammond smiling over pavement drums and the exuberant, lavish violin. Strings are taut and there is a touch of wah-wah as we pass through tunnels.
It is a joyful journey which skips across the city with no obvious plan, seemingly reacting to the different voices and situations as they arise. “Sophie’s Teapot” is experimental electronica, while “Guillotine’s Waltz” forgets entirely that it is supposed to be a waltz until about halfway through. Instead, it starts as a mangled piano-led stomp encompassing lugubrious moments, while ‘Nouvel An Chinois’ is doomy and tired, slightly saddened; until the roar of trains prompt a volte-face.Everywhere there are voices until we reach the penultimate track and the day starts to peter out, its train-rhythm groove reminding us this is not our home with the kinetic energy built up over the last little while finding an outlet. You can feel the night closing in and the trio are preparing you for it; so that when it does arrive, the conclusion is perfectly natural and a fitting end to a wild and enjoyable trip.
You may have enjoyed trip to Paris yourself, but it is well worth checking this out to compare and contrast.-Mr Olivetti-
