Record Reviews

DANIEL HUMAIR ~ QUATRE FOIS TROIS (EXPANDED EDITION) LABEL BLEU 6619/20 (Barcode: 794881413027) ~ SWITZERLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1996 - 1997 Released: 1998 This is an album by Swiss drummer / composer / bandleader Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist, recorded with a group of musicians, which includes French bassists Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and Bruno ChevillonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marc DucretFind albums by this artist, bass-clarinetist Michel PortalFind albums by this artist, German pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, American saxophonists Dave LiebmanFind albums by this artist and George GarzoneFind albums by this artist and trombonist Hal CrookFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, these musicians form four different trios, all of which feature Humair and two of the musicians from the list above. The album presents eleven tracks, which are mostly original compositions by Humair or are co-composed by him and the participating musicians. This 2CD version of the album includes a second, bonus CD with seven tracks, which present additional material, like a short improvisation, alternate mixes and demos, all recorded during the recording sessions for this album. Considering the fact that these are some of the finest Jazz / Improvised Music players one can hardly be surprised by the high level of the music this album offers. The constantly changing lineups add spice and interest to the proceedings and for people interested in more adventurous musical explorations, this is a great find. The American players feel perfectly comfortable with the Europeans, which is of course also hardly surprising, both for the reason that they often performed together in the past and that the music knows no geographical limits, especially music of this kind. Overall, this is an excellent Euro-American example of Improvised Music, which is also quite accessible to conventional Jazz listeners with just a bit of patience and open-mindedness.

Updated: 02/11/2026Posted: 02/11/2026

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LOUIS SCLAVIS ~ L`AFFRONTEMENT DES PRETENDANTS ECM 1705 (Barcode: 601215992724) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 1999 Released: 2001 This is an excellent album by French clarinetists / saxophonist / composer Louis SclavisFind albums by this artist with his superb quintet, which also includes trumpeter Jean-Luc CappozzoFind albums by this artist, cellist Vincent CourtoisFind albums by this artist, bassist Bruno ChevillonFind albums by this artist and drummer Francois MervilleFind albums by this artist. The music, which was all composed or co-composed by Sclavis, is a wonderful amalgam of Jazz and contemporary Classical influences, with a typical European approach, which mixes sophistication and imagination with musical tradition. The performances are all stellar and although this is by for not easy music, the result should be accessible even to less experienced listeners. Of course there is plenty of fascinating moments here, especially the bass work (including several outstanding solos) which is most impressive. Sclavis certainly solidifies his position as one of the leaders of contemporary European Jazz scene. Warmly recommended!

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