Joëlle Léandre - Rodolphe Loubatière

 

 

C’est avec ces mots en tête de Joëlle Léandre extrait de son livre « A voix basse » que lors de notre dernière rencontre je lui ai proposé de partager : «…ce désordre, ce riche désordre, ce chaos même qui me donne du fil à retordre, des sons à malaxer, des cordes à tirailler. Il y a là un travail immense de liberté, donc de responsabilité. Vaste sujet !» Tout est dit, il ne nous reste plus qu’à partager notre musique. 

 

 

With a monologue changing to dialogue, Estampe’s seven duets involve patterns that unite Léandre’s extended techniques with those of Loubatière. Using only a snare drum he slides, screeches and thick rubs patterns that create a contrapuntal role beside the bassist’s thick and harsh power sweeps. At points it appears as if string pressure jolts are as percussive – or even more so – than the impacts of sticks and other implements on the drum surface. Breaking up the percussion punches with a cymbal edges rubbed against drum tops, bell-like clangs and rim wood clattering, this shading emboldens Léandre to rattle her strings even more with the result even louder as sul ponticello sweeps meet bumping rhythms from Loubatière. Later ratcheting and sweeping string strategies are joined by the bassist’s whispers, eerie panting and nonsense syllable mumbles. Maintaining the musical dialogue Léandre’s pressurized string slaps and buzzing sul tasto challenge the drummer’s crackles, clips and pumps even as vocals descend to pants and barks. Stretching string buzzes alongside simple percussion ruffs the two finally reach a sweeping understanding. JazzWord / Ken Waxman