Marockin’ Brass ft Byron Wallen
Genre: Gnawa Jazz
Label: A-Shams
Release: 2014
Info & orders: sara@metx.be
The connection between the poly layered soundscapes, Q&A-structures and a multitude of acoustic timbres is dazzlingly effective. It all just happens, organically, on the climax of a dialogue between the sublime section of jazz’s finest virtuosi with Moroccan Gnawa masters. The improvisation language is slashing. The rhythm section is ruthless. This band propels the groove from the deepest spot and infects you with a straightforward energy. Generous and beyond measure…
Why Wallen? Since Luc Mishalle and Byron Wallen first met in 2005 (‘Klinkende Munt’ festival, Brussels) their mutual interest in gnawa music and how to deal with it in a jazz context was something of a revelation. In later meetings it also became clear that the writing of Byron and Luc had affinities: an interest in shifting rhythmic patterns, deceptively simple melodies, intricate horizontal interweaving rather than vertical harmonizing, fragmentation of written material etc.
Line-Up
Byron Wallen: trumpet, composition
Luc Mishalle: Soprano saxophones, composition
Jean-Paul Estiévenart: trumpet, flugelhorn
Pascal Rousseau: tuba
Rida Stitou: sentir, krakeb, lead vocals
Driss Filali: krakeb, tbel, backing vocals
Abderahmane Bouhamidy: bendir, krakeb, vocals
Rod Youngs: drums