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GREG LAMY QUARTET

From the first notes, ''Control Swift'' grooves. The punch rhythm is driven by drummer Jean-Marc Robin's sharp playing. The sax lines wrap themselves around electric guitar riffs whose organic and slightly acidic sound sometimes evoke a few ghosts, such as the late Larry Coryell. Once in orbit, the groove can relax in ''There Will Be'' - a feline workout to which the leader gives a blue sheen by bending the strings. This expressive style steeped in soul can be heard several times on the release. Fir on ''Le Chien'', a piece that swings like a Pink Panther on the prowl thanks to Johannes Mueller's giddy sax solo followed by a theme they all play together. Then on ''Blues for Jean'', which shows to the whole world the grip that the blues has on this music - even if it is a blues a la John Scofield, tortured by phrasing with a distinctive outline that creates a saturated sound and raw inflexions through ap alette of perfectly mastered effects. A big fan of big melodies, Lamy has also composed some pieces that are perfect for singing. The melancholic accents of ''A-C'', for example, are delicately colored by floating chords and beautiful clusters of notes that gracefully twist and turn before coming to a dream-like end. ''Erase'', meanwhile, is like a trip in zero gravity featuring a bass solo from Gautier Laurent that lies across moving layers of guitar which in turn opens its wings and takes off. This eclectic repertoire is wrapped up with a bonus treat: ''D Blues'' is unbridled hard-bop swing, almost like a concession to the classical jazz into which the guitarist and sax-player like to sink their teeth, whipping the theme and firing off torrents of solos.

Price: $25.98

In stock
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