1. Egyptian Fantasy
2. Temptation Rag
3. Song of Medina [Casbah]
4. Hysm
5. Le Cirque des Mirages
6. Place 75
7. Schubertauser
8. St. James Infirmary
9. Dancers In Love
Vincent Peirani - Accordion
Emile Parisien - Soprano sax
Vincent Peirani and Emile Parisien, aged 34 and 31 respectively, are regarded as musicians to watch (and hear!) on the European jazz scene and especially
in their native France. Peirani was voted 2013 Artist of the Year by Jazz Magazine in France, in addition to being a recipient of the Prix Django
Reinhardt. His instrument, the accordion, has featured in jazz for a long time now (there is a 1930 recording, for instance, with accordion solos) but can
hardly be considered front-rank. Having said that, there have been some notable exponents of jazz accordion . Richard Galliano, another Frenchman, comes to
mind, as does, more recently, Stian Carstensen. Some who are better known as pianists, such as George Shearing, Nicki Iles and Huw Warren, have been known
to use the instrument to good effect. Peirani is a recent arrival but is already making his mark. Emile Parisien stands in a tradition of great soprano
saxophonists such as Bechet, Coltrane, Steve Lacy and Jan Garbarek . This recording will do his growing reputation no harm at all. Peirani and Parisien
each have a couple of tracks which they personally have composed.
Egyptian Fantasy
, after a vaguely Baroque opening, has smooth soprano sax from Parisien, initially sticking to Sidney Bechet's melody before effortlessly improvising,
Peirani content to provide background accompaniment. Temptation Rag offers intricate and nimble playing, the soprano sax taking the lead. At one
point, there's a touch of off-key weirdness before a return to ragtime rhythms. Enjoyable and lilting, as befits its origins, Song Of Medina [Casbah],another Bechet original, probably refers to the ancient quarter of any North African city rather than to the second
holiest place, after Mecca, for followers of Islam. It is an evocative and atmospheric number with both musicians hitting their stride in the faster and
improvised passage. In Hysm, the organ-like tones of the accordion introduce the soprano on a haunting melody, played with clarity and invention
by Parisien, with sturdy support from Peirani. Le Cirque des Mirages suggests a street scene in Paris at first, the arresting theme played by the
accordion and then picked up by the sax which fluently carries it on. The track has strong interplay between the two musicians with the qualities of both
evident. It slowly and gently takes its leave. Impressive.
Place 75
is a busy collaboration with hints of traffic and of the pace of street life in the eponymous location, ultimately becoming quite frenzied. Schubertauser, a Peirani composition, is the longest track on the disc at nine minutes twenty seconds and is reminiscent of a film score. Parisien
explores the register of his instrument while Peirani contributes more than elsewhere, again with organ-like tones. This one has mounting energy and speed
and repays careful listening. St. James Infirmary has the sounds of echoing hospital corridors and of trolley wheels, implied by deep notes from
the accordion and squeaks from the soprano sax. This is like no other rendition you've ever heard of this early jazz classic. The theme is very slowly
introduced. Suddenly the familiar melody is there, carried by Parisien against a backing of ominous chords from the accordion then, equally abruptly,
it's gone. Curious but different. Dancers In Love, from the pen of Duke Ellington, offers a gently, swinging version of the tune, here given an
almost satirical, certainly playful, twist.
This is a satisfying disc which unites two gifted performers on well-chosen material. Well worth a listen. Personally, I look forward to hearing them
again.
James Poore
CD Reviews
ACT 9625-2
