Franck Wolf – Acoustic Five – Sunside, Paris, 05/05/20

During his career, saxophonist Franck Wolf has always been aware of the possibilities offered by varied and sometimes unusual orchestral combinations.

Let us cite, for example, the quintet where he explores a funk jazz repertoire alongside Franck Aguilhon, Diego Imbert, Daniel Zimmermann and Benoit Sourisse (“Eleven to Heaven”, 2007); the trio with accordionist Marcel Loeffler and double bassist Davide Petrocca (“BolAIR”, 2013); her duet with koto player Mieko Miyazaki who combines Japanese and Western music (“Dankin”, 2015) and her records with Biréli Lagrène.

His latest project, illustrated by the album significantly entitled “Acoustic Five“, is part of this direction. It is carried by a quintet composed of double bass player Diego Imbert, Sébastien Giniaux on guitar and cello, Fréderic Norel, a violinist familiar with jazz and classical music, and pianist Jean-Yves Jung, longtime partner of the leader.

They all know each other well and share a taste for musical adventures off the beaten track. Together, they form a team that best serves a repertoire made up of compositions written and arranged for the occasion by Franck Wolf, to which are added Double Scotch, engraved by Django Reinhardt and André Ekyan in 1950, and Space Oddity by David Bowie. The arrangements tied up by an expert pen reveal unexpected sonic alloys using, for example, pizzicato effects of the strings of the best effect.

This brings us elegant music, alternately lyrical: High-flying, virtuoso: Sweetmadness or dancing: Nine O’Clock. We will particularly appreciate the beautiful melody with the Ellington Parfum de Ballade d’un 8 mai and the refined re-readings of Double Scotch and Space Oddity.

An innovative approach to jazz where the spirit of chamber music is heard.