Pianists and guitarists don't always mix well,"" Eric Legnini says. There can even be a kind of competition in the air between these two instrument worlds, these two mini orchestras on their own, these two popular technical tools that everyone has tasted at one time or another. However, it is far from being his case, says the Belgian: on his side, relations are rather good - even if, he confesses in a loud laugh, that he is only a ""poor guitarist"" who can only play ""three poor Brazilian chords"". But it must be said that the native of Huy (near Liege) grew up with a father who was a fan of Django Reinhardt: ""there were always some that resonated in the house"", he recalls. And then, along the way, Eric Legnini met some of the best specimens of the genus. Whether with the pillar of the Plat Pays Philip Catherine or the legend Toots Thielemans, harmonica player of course, but also skillful six-stringed player. With Six Strings Under, the pianist accomplice of Joe Lovano, Claude Nougaro, Stefano Di Battista, Aka Moon, the Belmondo brothers or Ibrahim Maalouf certainly decides to make a kind of declaration of love for this instrument that has rocked him all his life. But not only that: in addition to a nod to the famous series Six Feet Under, of which he is a fan, this album marks a return to acoustic and instrumental formats, two areas that he had left for several years to focus on more electric and full of vocal guests: the trilogy The Vox - Sing Twice - Waxx Up with Hugh Coltman, Mamani Keïta, Yael Naïm or Krystle Warren.
Manu Katché went to the Conservatoire but his musical origins are to be found in rock music. Even though the drummer extraordinaire has listened to a lot of jazz music, he hasn't played that much of it. The case gets even harder to crack when you listen to Katché's tenth album, The ScOpe, where he digs deep into the roots of groove music all the while incorporating the modern sounds of machines. The album cover designed by Arno Lam appropriately pictures Katché sideways - "an African profile" he says- and indeed Africa is the underlying musical theme of the whole album. But this sensual statue is highly flammable if you consider that Manu Katché also knows about dancing - he practiced it as a kid, goes out dancing in clubs "and after all, you need all four limbs to play the drums" he himself remarks. The drums are then naturally at the center of The ScOpe, an electro album with both a carnal and a celestial touch - a sort of frenetic spasm lingering on with pleasure and revival. The album comes to complete, rather than strictly break with, his past discography - that of an expert musician who has been solicited by Sting, Peter Gabriel and Véronique Sanson among others. "I have built the tracks around the drums, and it is no wonder I've always played that instrument - my dad's from the Ivory Coast. I wanted to see people move, dance and sing the gimmicks when they listened to it."
The cover art for Manu Katché’s excellent new disc is somewhat misleading. It depicts the drummer alone, thrashing away at his kit, but Unstatic is, at heart, an accomplished team effort, crafted by a cohesive ensemble. Katché takes the spotlight here not with flashy rhythm patterns but with his compositional acumen and outstanding leadership. He wrote all 11 tunes, most of which are quintet or sextet arrangements, with exemplary trombonist Nils Landgren playing on five tracks. Katché seems to have composed these songs with specific instrumentation in mind, as evidenced by the gentle, nuanced dialogs by pianist Jim Watson and saxophonist Tore Brunborg that open “Blossom” and “Daze Days.” Those two numbers illustrate Katché’s ability to create accessible material that will appeal to smooth-jazz fans and devotees of straightahead jazz. Indeed, he’s a skillful balladeer, but he’s just as accomplished as a groove merchant. The track “City” offers a hip-swaying groove with a touch of light funk, resulting in a head-bobber that’s peppered with a potent motif from trumpeter Luca Aquino. Katché is acutely sensitive to the narrative arc of this 51-minute program. He is also keenly aware of the ebb and flow of musical intensity, which he intentionally dials down at the album’s midpoint before building it back up with simmering flare on the eighth track, “Ride Me Up.” On the album’s final track, Katché offers a charming, spoken-word introduction of his bandmates. The French drummer has won tremendous respect as a sideman for Sting, Peter Gabriel and Joni Mitchell, but with Unstatic, Katché shows that a generosity of spirit can help a fine accompanist become a great leader. - DownBeat Magazine Editors' Pick
