The sophisticated 10-year-old quartet led by French saxophonist Émile Parisien retain their affections for post-Ornette free jazz, Django Batesian humour and contemporary-classical vocabularies, but keep producing fascinating variations. Spezial Snack moves further from the frenetic jazz grooves of their earlier years to a more reflexive and jaggedly restless soundworld accurately described by liner-note writer Damien Bertrand as “first and foremost a territory, by turns deserted and lush, where the listener’s vigilance is permanently mobilised”. Potofen, the opening track, typically begins as a series of wide-spaced small events – quietly sustained sax notes, bell sounds, percussion rustles – until a lumpy, off-whack drums pulse gradually drives it to a rumbling, rockish fury. Haricot Guide opens on solemnly formal piano chords, but the excellent Parisien starts firing short fusillades of nimble bebop, and the piece juggles walking basslines, improv blusters and dead halts. Mazout Damnation has a measured, contemporary-classical feel but ends up punky, Les Flics de la Police develops a thrilling collective groove, while Parisien plays swerving snakecharmer lines. For their lightly borne expertise, improv/composing balance and sense of humour, the Parisiens deserve their formidable reputation in new European jazz.
