Emile Parisien – Floating

For this new album, Emile Parisien has brought together a quartet with whom he had previously performed during a “carte blanche” event in Paris and on two other occasions.

The group reunites him with Yaron Herman—with whom he has performed countless times and who invited him to appear on one of his recordings—and features two musicians he has long admired: Australian double bassist Linda May Han Oh and Indian percussionist Prabhu Edouard.

This is therefore a far cry from the aesthetic of the saxophonist’s “historic” quartet, if only because he shares the compositions with Herman—among other things, on the final theme performed as a duet with the pianist—and, for one piece, with the double bassist. And this new aesthetic is also evident in the addition of a musician who brings the unique sounds of Indian percussion—both instrumental and vocal.

From the very first track, it’s clear that Parisien is moving toward greater serenity and a more subdued lyricism here than in his previous recordings. The magnificent sound of his soprano saxophone—an instrument on which he has long established a strong personal style—remains, of course, one of the major elements of this new album’s aesthetic, but the contributions of his bandmates are equally decisive.

Herman is an accomplished melodist, and his masterfully elegant phrasing illuminates many of the tracks.

Linda May Han Oh’s double bass underpins the ensemble with a powerful drive and a sumptuous tone that she showcases, among other things, on a track featuring her as the sole performer.

As for Prabhu Edouard, his colorful percussions give the group a unique and remarkable sound. All in all, this is a truly beautiful recording by a group that has begun touring and has won over numerous audiences who, as was the case last July at Souillac en Jazz (review on this site), gave them a well-deserved standing ovation.