| Jazz |
There are albums where, from the very first listen, one imagines oneself seeing the musicians on a sunny day in a gentle, countryside setting to fully appreciate their music because there’s something intimate and deeply personal that emanates from this album. So, one begins to dream, to savor it like a good book or a fine wine… Here is our debut album as a duo. We’ve been playing together since we were 15, so there’s a great deal of trust and patience in our overall sound. This album is primarily composed of our own compositions, ranging from slow ballads to post-bop and free jazz. Tony takes the spotlight, bringing his full spectrum of heart, intellect, and saxophone fluidity. Jessica is on the piano, providing a foundation for the journey. We pay homage to Connie Crothers with her bebop masterpiece ‘Bird’s Word’ as a saxophone duo, and Tony adds an emotive texture to the ballad ‘I Thought About You.’
This album is a reflection of our duo, gentle, poetic, and enjoyable at a time when the majority of albums we receive are highly orchestrated. Here, the spotlight is on the dialogue between the two instrumentalists, a dialogue of passion, of enthusiasts, with remarkable sound quality that highlights the sonic beauty of the saxophone and piano, a simplicity that we appreciate.
A few remarks… For those who know Tony through his various free jazz projects and recordings, ‘Hearing Into the Future’ might come as a surprise, but he emphasizes that he was raised with the full spectrum of jazz heritage. ‘It was always present in the house, always playing, whether on the radio or on records,’ he says. ‘My mother was a big fan of Lester Young and Billie Holiday, and Lester was the main one from the start. I started playing tenor saxophone because of Lester at 11 – it was the sound I had in my head, and the sound I wanted to produce.’
Such a beautiful musical heritage, each musician has their references, but few know how to truly use them. Here, that’s the case; we transcend the boundaries of jazz a bit, almost facing a work of art. All that’s missing is an actor reading some Paul Auster over this elegant music. Perhaps I’m going too far, carried away by this music, but it’s true that I adore these kinds of music that communicate with our intellect.
‘We work together on our music, and this recording represents somewhat how we explore the jazz heritage, how we find our way through songs we’ve known all our lives,’ says Jessica. ‘It’s about the intimacy of the two of us playing together for nearly 50 years.’
To say that this album is a must-have is stating the obvious because it’s one of those that will regularly spin in any jazz aficionado’s collection.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, March 12th 2024
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