Daniel Zimmermann, Eric Séva – 2 Souffleurs sur 1 Fil

Éric Séva and Daniel Zimmermann have been involved in a number of joint projects.

These include the collection ‘Frères de Songs’ (Les Z’Arts de Garonne, 2023) produced with singer Michael Robinson, in which Éric Séva’s soprano and baritone were joined by Daniel Zimmermann’s trombone and a rhythm section.

Continuing in this vein, the two accomplices, this time alone on stage, explore the resources of the baritone-trombone duo experimented with in the past by Gerry Mulligan and Bob Brookmeyer, with the support of a pianist providing the harmonies and a drummer breathing life into the rhythm, which made things a lot easier. The venture, while certainly appealing, was not without risks, as the very title of the record implicitly indicates: ‘2 Souffleurs sur 1 Fil’ (2 Blowers on 1 Wire). But any fears raised by the difficulty of the task are quickly dispelled on listening to the album.

Drawing on their in-depth knowledge of their instruments and aware that they are entering uncharted territory, Éric Séva and Daniel Zimmermann, in turn soloist and accompanist, manage to reconcile two tessituras favouring the lower register to generate unusual combinations of sound.

There are no spectacular effects, no unnecessary virtuosity, no excessive redundancy. The solos, counterpoints and counterpoint blend into an inspired discourse, developed with that sense of the right note that real musicians possess.

All this is apparent in Libertango, a composition by Astor Piazzolla that meant so much to Éric Séva, the baritone-trombone dialogue illuminating Stéphane Grappelli’s Les valseuses and the lovely surprises delivered by an original version of Caravan, the hit by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington. In addition to these classics, there are pieces skilfully written by Éric Séva (Luz d’Eus) and Daniel Zimmermann (Mademoiselle), whose beautiful melodies add to the quality of this remarkably well-crafted repertoire.

Last but not least, the supreme luxury of this album, the fruit of a great deal of hard work, is that it contains in its very essence a way of overcoming the greatest difficulties without appearing to do so.