| Jazz |
This is the second album by the Joel Frahm Trio, featuring Joel Frahm on tenor saxophone, Dan Loomis on double bass, and our friend Ernesto Cervini on drums, who is also the founder and director of Orange Groove Publicity, promoting the best jazz albums produced in Canada. Joel Frahm is known for his emotional expression and technical virtuosity. His career includes collaborations with leading jazz musicians such as Brad Mehldau, Matt Wilson, Jane Monheit, and Ari Hoenig, solidifying his status as one of the most important and exciting musicians of our time. The New York Times praises his ‘skilled and assured mastery,’ while the Ottawa Citizen highlights his ‘overflowing creativity, unrelenting positive spirit, technical fluency, and versatility.’ Brad Mehldau, a long-time collaborator, describes Frahm’s sound as ‘big and generous, very warm and comfortable,’ emphasizing the ‘unrestrained emotional flow’ of his playing.
This trio has been performing on various stages for over ten years, and it’s clear why when listening to this album. The compositions, both complex and fun, and the beautiful artistic chemistry of the trio offer delightful surprises at every moment, whether in the solo sections or the beautiful rhythms of Ernesto Cervini, which transform the tenor saxophone into a sort of improbable, colorful singer—a music that will take your breath away! With *Lumination*, Joel and his trio sought to compose a work that highlights the democratic dialogue and unique interaction of the group. Joel’s tireless humor shines in his playful tribute to the group’s drummer, Ernesto Cervini, with the upbeat retro track *Disco Nern*. He also highlights Dan Loomis’ exceptional melodic voice on bass with *Loomie Nation*. Cervini, also a talented composer, contributes *The Nurse Is In*, a rhythmic conversation that sparks the trio’s improvisations (and pays tribute to the former coach of the Toronto Raptors, dear to Cervini). Joel reveals his love for melody with the poignant ballad *Moonface Lament*, composed during a sleepless night on tour. The contrafact *Kern You Dig It?*, based on the iconic *All The Things You Are* (get it?), and the irresistible swing of *Catch 22* both capture the energy and cohesion of the trio. *Lumination* reveals the next evolution of Joel’s transformation of the trio format into a new vehicle for collective imagination.
And this is the main appeal of this album: compositions and arrangements that are the product of three artists with a very contemporary vision of their craft. Listening deeply to each track reveals references that go far beyond jazz. The melodic form is never neglected, and at times we are immersed in very pleasant poetic forms. This delicious blend of artistic prowess will only be recognized by true jazz enthusiasts, as this is a sensitive album that deserves many hours of listening to fully grasp. Nothing here is accidental; on the contrary, it is carefully thought out music where every detail matters. While the trio’s starting point may seem quite classic, we are quickly swept away by propositions that transcend and surprise us, giving way to an elite form of creation, which is not unwelcome, to the point that we place this album among our ‘Essentials.’
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, September 9th 2024
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