Manuel Rocheman has been in
this category for a long time. The one where the "L" of freedom
becomes capital letter. Having the process of recording a disc with two
partners renowned for their immense talents and their deep dedication,
"Cactus Dance" has a hell of a program in store for us, long before
listening to the first note. The album starts off with a simple joke,
"Aulnay Blue". A fast tempo completely masked by the rhythmic
construction of the theme. And as if there was not enough camouflage, this
first melody is doubled in the bass by the double bass. Child's play. What
follows is all the more disturbing. This is the second track, "You must
believe in Spring", Which brings us back to earth with the poetry of
spring and its promises. As Bill Evans did too little, on this track alone,
Manuel switches to Fender Rhodes from bar to bar, with that monstrously awesome
and lyrical inner vocals. This instrument gives an intriguing dimension to
Manuel's left hand playing. Let's talk about it. This left hand offers us
firmly present chords. It is often a choice for pianists to access modernism by
safeguarding codes from the past. For this pianist, it is a question of a
finely appropriate code, that of systematically placing the chords during a
chorus. What helps make this system more current is the personal sensitivity it
puts in the choice of notes for these chords. We can only raise the level of
maturity reached by Manuel Rocheman. The extraordinary Mexican drummer Antonio
Sanchez who accompanies him produced this record without using the Latin colors
of his drums. This usual expert in mixed sounds has given up this touch in
order to fully immerse himself in the leader's modern jazz universe. The
refinement is at its maximum when entering the "special drums" at the
end of the waltz "Cactus Dance". The gentle frenzy of chopsticks on
the skin is developed by an entirely interior energy. Scott Colley is in search
of accuracy. Time is an obsession for this 44-year-old double bass player,
without taking away the spontaneity of the dialogue with the drummer. They two
combine a plot in perpetual motion. Despite some unwelcome "bland",
several titles on the disc bring us back to the trio's great classics and the
influence they bring to Manuel. A tribute to Keith Jarrett through "So
tender", Rocheman style. Let’s not forget "Comrade Conrad" too,
a magical piece with an Evansian aesthetic where Manuel, after his solo intro,
is joined by the two North American musicians, also giving their majestic
tribute to the legendary trio of Scott Lafaro and Paul Motian. To end this
ballad of memories, also note this double-homage with "I love you",
recorded with 2 different rhythmic points of view. The joke game ends in the
good mood of nostalgia. A loving playful nostalgia. ~ Tristan Loriaut, lesdnj.over-blog.com.
Nocturne Records, NTCD412, 2007
Recorded 21st & 22nd
March, 2006 at Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Musicians:
Manuel Rocheman - Piano,
Fender Rhodes (#2)
Scott Colley - Bass
Antonio Sanchez - Drums
Tracks:
01. Aulnay Blue {Manuel
Rocheman} (4:16)
02. You Must Believe In
Spring {Michel Legrand} (6:13)
03. Batida De Coco {Manuel
Rocheman} (6:21)
04. Cactus Dance {Manuel
Rocheman} (7:00)
05. So Tender {Keith Jarrett}
(6:28)
06. Prato Feito {Toninho
Horta} (6:58)
07. Comrade Conrad {Bill
Evans} (6:36)
08. I Do It For Your Love
{Paul Simon} (4:59)
09. El Mosquito {Manuel
Rocheman} (2:51)
10. Waltz For Marianne
{Manuel Rocheman} (4:50)
11. I Love You 7/4 Version
{Cole Porter} (7:32)
12. I Love You 4/4 Version
{Cole Porter} (7:52)
Total Time: 71:56
Credits:
Producer - Manuel Rocheman
Recording Engineer - Joe
Marciano
Assistant Engineer - Max Ross
Mixing Engineer - Charles
Caratini
Mastering Engineer - Raphael
Jonin
Photography - Guy Vivien,
Manuel Rocheman
Artwork - Alexandra de
Lapierre
This album is a Manuel Rocheman piano trio
release after a longish spate of time, four years. Essentially, it is an
easy-to-listen and responsive work. It encompasses Roschman's own work, and
that of Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, and Cole Porter's works, all of which are
very captivating tunes. The first song, which has a strange time signature and
a sharp twist, is very aggressive. From there the album progresses in a mixture
of dynamism and entrancing trio dialogue. In essence, the participation of
Scott Cory and Antonio Sanchez indeed plays an important role in breaking new
ground in Roschmann progressive development.
