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The tireless pioneers of the Amazing Keystone Big Band now take on (at last, one might say) the work of George Gershwin.

Following in the footsteps of Prokofiev (“Peter and the Wolf“), Saint-Saens (“Carnival of the Animals“), Bernstein (“West Side Story“) and Quincy Jones, the 17-strong phalanx has taken up the challenge of offering brand-new readings of themes that have been extensively (to put it mildly!) revised and corrected by virtually every self-respecting jazzman/woman since the 1930s.

It’s a daring challenge, but one that has been met, not least because the orchestra has chosen not to offer instrumental versions of Gershwin’s hits, but to entrust the melodies to young, not-yet-famous singers.

There’s a desire here to “rejuvenate” an old-fashioned, well-known repertoire and inject it with a welcome elixir of youth.

The arrangements by Bastien Ballaz and Jon Boutellier, while continuing in a classical vein in the great tradition of the historic big band, are also rich in timbre, dynamics and the spatialization of the overall sound of a band that remains one of the most interesting in this style, which shows no signs of ageing.

While it may come as a surprise that instrumentalists, most of them young (under 40), have chosen to express themselves in a “vintage” style, it’s understandable — the historical representatives of this idiom have long since passed away — that today’s musicians should wish to take up the baton and keep alive a harmonic and melodic vein to which they are deeply attached, and this can be felt not only in the magnificent sound of the ensemble, but also in the solos of the blowers and the pianist, all of whom delight in improvising on chord grids that will never end to be explored.

This is a fine achievement by an orchestra that has accustomed us to expecting the very best, and which, what’s more, introduces us to youthful voices (sometimes singing in male/female duets) totally committed to reinterpreting a repertoire that will always remain as young as when George Gershwin – one of the greatest composers of the 20th century – put pen to paper, to the delight of jazz musicians who, generation after generation, have passed on the baton of his fascinating rhythms.

 

Line up:

Vincent Labarre, Thierry Seneau, Félicien Bouchot, David Enhco: trumpet, flugelhorn

Loïc Bachevillier, Bastien Ballaz, Aloïs Benoit: trombone

Sylvain Thomas: bass trombone

Kenny Jeanney: alto sax, soprano sax

Pierre Desassis: alto sax, clarinet

Jon Boutellier: tenor sax, bass clarinet

Eric Prost: tenor sax, clarinet

Ghyslain Regard: baritone sax, flute

Fred Nardin: piano, keyboards

Thibaut François: guitar

Patrick Maradan: double bass, electric bass

Romain Sarron: drums

Neima Naouri, Benny Benack III, Fleur Worku, Pablo Campos, Charlotte Wassy: vocals

Fascinating Rhythm was released by the label Moose/None, on November 8, 2024. Il est enIt is a “Selection Couleurs Jazz Radio”.

Photo Header ©Maxime de Bollivier

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