L'imperfait des langues

“Confronted with the new generation, master of ceremonies Sclavis gave of his very best. We await, impatiently, this group’s ECM disc.” Philippe Robert, Jazz Magazine, November 2006

Louis Sclavis’s newest album has an unusual history. The French reedman/composer/ improviser had received a commission to premiere a new project at Monaco’s Festival Le Printemps des Arts in Monte Carlo, in April 2005. Wanting to challenge his own working habits as a composer, to bring unpredictable elements into play in the improvising, and “a new syntax” into his musical language, Sclavis decided to build a new ensemble with young players. Firebrand altoist Marc Baron for instance, a mere 23 years old at the time, came into the project as a hot tip from cellist Vincent Courtois, who had just begun working with the sax player. Keyboardist Paul Brousseau had, barely weeks before, been added to another Sclavis group, Big Napoli, (the expanded edition of the Napoli’s Walls ensemble which has recorded for ECM) and was still feeling his way into the Sclavis soundworld. With Maxim Delpierre, Sclavis had jammed just once, as a guest of the guitarist’s trio. “It was precisely because I wasn’t sure if I would be able to incorporate his way of playing that I wanted to try. He has a very unusual approach to the guitar...” As French magazine Jazzman observed: “Delpierre has certainly heard Sonny Sharrock, Glenn Branca and Sonic Youth” – overdriven, saturated guitar sounds are part of his palette.

Sclavis: “So, with the exception of (drummer) François Merville, who I’ve worked with often, these were not only players quite new to me, but musicians who did not know my work in detail either. They are all of them working in all kinds of different contexts, including experimental music and rock. None of them is a ‘pure’ jazz musician – but then, neither am I.” Sclavis sketched his compositions for “L’imparfait des langues” in ten days, leaving plenty of space for improvising, and began rehearsing his new crew in earnest. “Some of the basic musical ideas were very simple, sometimes as little as an eight- bar or sixteen bar phrase for two instrumental voices... In preparing music for this group I am definitely interested as much in sound and texture as in the melodies... Anyway: it was soon quite clear to us that we had something special with this group of players.”

Then, the day before the concert, Prince Rainier of Monaco, longest-reigning European monarch, died at the age of 81, the nation was plunged into mourning and the Sclavis performance cancelled! Primed to play and abruptly deprived of an outlet, Louis took his musicians instead into Studios la Buissonne in Pernes-les-Fontaines and recorded the music in a single day. The freshness of the results is unmistakable.

The Monte Carlo festival appearance was rescheduled for April 2006. Since then the group has been playing widely, and Sclavis is steadily writing new material for the ensemble. “The level of enthusiasm in the ensemble is very high: I think you can hear that on the CD. These are guys who really want to play. Small clubs, concerts, festivals – we don’t care – we’ll play anywhere! And the music is changing... Paul Brousseau is bringing in new colours all the time with his sounds and samples, and there is more improvising. I see a lot of development possible with this quintet, and the potential to work with these players for several years.”