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Cappozzo/Lazro/Nick/Souchal - Neigen

Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts

 

«Neigen» is titled after the German verb: to tend towards, and its name captures faithfully the essence of the French, free-improvising quartet of veteran sax player Daunik Lazro and prolific trumpeter Jean-Luc Cappozzo and lesser-known trumpeter Nicolas Souchal and violinist Michael Nick, Neigen was recorded over two days on the end of January and the beginning of February 2020 at «Cappozzone», in Luzillé, France. The ‘tend towards’ sensibility meant that these resourceful improvisers let themselves surrender to the magic of the moment, and become conduit bodies to the flowing music.

The nine pieces highlight the profound mutual trust and the immediate instincts of all four musicians as well as the intuitive, almost telepathic connection. These pieces explore distinct conversational strategies that aspire to the unpredictable and unconventional. The opening title-piece is a delicate, ethereal and dreamy soundscape. «Connexe» experiments with shifting sparse sounds into brief, intense sonic storms, while the following «Point d’assemblage» opts for a more nuanced, reserved and lyrical yet highly inventive course. The short «Narcisse watered» explores the timbral similarities of the trumpets, sax and violin through extended breathing and bowing techniques.

«Apnée D’Aphné» is the most radical improvisation here. Nick’s electro-acoustic octave violin sets a noisy, buzzing tone that triggers all to produce corresponding sounds and noises, before this piece settles on a surprisingly gentle and melodic mode. «Super Spell» is a nervous and urgent, talkative improvisation with few ironic sparks. This kind of mischievous vein is expanded on the poetic «Fenêtre de périodes impaires», weaving the most personal, contemplative voices into a strange but compelling choir. «Terra moto» goes even further and suggests enigmatic conversations based on minimalist, tense gestures. The last «L’attracteur étrange» is the most beautiful piece here. The trumpets of Souchal and Cappozzo introduce the beautiful touching melody before Lazro and Nick charge this melody with stormy intensity.