Jean-Jacques Elangué – Shades of Ouidah

Although Jean-Jacques Elangué has been performing on French stages for ages, both as a leader and a sideman, he does not have an extensive discography.

A few years ago, he released a beautiful duo album with the late pianist Tom McClung, and his nonet recording will be released soon.

So it’s good news that this recently recorded quartet album is now available on streaming platforms. And this is no ordinary quartet, as Elangué has surrounded himself with a trio of first-rate musicians: Alain Jean-Marieon piano, Manu Marchez on double bass, and Simon Goubert on drums.

It doesn’t get much better than this! The title of the album refers to the city in Benin (formerly Dahomey) from which some of the African slaves were once shipped to the New World. This is undoubtedly the musician’s way of recalling his African origins and the fact that musicians from the African continent remain a clear minority and little exposed in France, unlike what we see in our neighbors in the United Kingdom, for example.

But Elangué is not making a militant statement here. He is more in line with the great tradition of tenor sax quartets, and it is no coincidence that he reprises a theme by John Coltrane. For Elangué is above all a tenor saxophonist with a completely unique and personal sound, and he does not hesitate to showcase it on a Monk piece recorded as a solo, in which he magnificently explores the range of his saxophone.

But the musician also presents himself here as a composer: more than half of the themes on this album are his own, and they hold their own alongside those of Coltrane, Monk, or Curtis Fuller. As for the rhythm section accompanying Elangué, it displays a resplendent tonality and variety.

There is no need to reiterate the qualities of Alain Jean-Marie and Simon Goubert. Both have had the opportunity to accompany a multitude of soloists, and it is clear that they are relishing supporting Elangué in this quartet adventure. And Manu Marchez—less well known than the pianist and drummer—remarkably “holds down the fort,” as they say. This is a beautiful recording that will allow many to discover a musician who deserves to be better known and will confirm to those who have already heard him that he is an important voice in the French jazz scene.

Line up:

Jean-Jacques Elangué: tenor saxophone

Alain Jean-Marie: piano

Manu Marchez: double bass

Simon Goubert: drums

Shades of Ouidah has been released by the excellent label Blang Music, on October 17^th, 2025.

It is a “HIT COULEURS JAZZ” and it is selected as a “BEST OF THE MONTH” album on Couleurs Jazz Radio.