
To my knowledge, this is the first time since Mike Westbrook’s “Westbrook Rossini” in the ’80s that a jazz musician tackles the work of an Italian opera composer on an entire album.
And not just any opera composer, but Giuseppe Verdi. Where Westbrook led a septet, Alban Darche and Emmanuel Bénèche — the two co-leaders of the Mirifique Orchestra — have entrusted the scores and arrangements signed by the saxophonist, who is also the principal soloist, to an ensemble of ten musicians. An atypical line-up, mixing classical and jazz musicians and including two French horns. Borrowing from works by the Italian composer as diverse as the Requiem and operas like La Forza del Destino or Aïda, the Mirifique Orchestra displays a highly personal sound paste dominated by the blend of the high timbres of the flute, trumpet and clarinet and the lower ones of the French horns and tuba. It’s a sonic paste where we find, in a lighter vein, the nuances of sound color and dynamics of classical symphony orchestra recordings.
There’s no need to deviate from the original version of these pieces to make them sound like jazz, as Verdi’s music, in addition to its melodic qualities, often has a dynamic close to swing. The drums are therefore quite discreet here, content to accompany the “natural” pulsation of the themes.
©Photo Fabrice Vaillant
The same is true of the electric guitar, which plays an essentially colorist role. Alban Darche‘s alto sax takes on the role of soloist in the rare improvisations, adding highly readable chorusses that rarely strays far from the melody.
At a time when other orchestras are offering jazzy versions of works by Prokofiev or Saint-Saens, the Mirifique Orchestra gives a totally convincing jazz reading of works by one of the greatest composers of the 19th century.
Line up:
Thomas Saulet: flute
Nicolas Fargeix: clarinet
Alban Darche: alto sax
Emmanuel Bénèche & Pierre-Yves Le Masne: French horn
Hervé Michelet: trumpet
Matthias Quilbault: tuba
Alexis Thérain: electric guitar
Melvelyan Jacquot: drums
Verdi Remix was released by Pépin&Plume (Le Gros Cube) on October 11, 2024
©Photo Header Fabrice Vaillant
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