Q: Julien Desprez (guitar), Fanny Lasfargues (bass) & Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums)
Yann Joussein (percussion & electronics)
ACV: Andy Champion (bass), Graeme Wilson (saxophones), Mark Williams (guitar), Paul Edis (piano) & Adrian Tilbrook (drums).
(Review by Russell)
Day two of Jazz North East’s Anglo French festival began in the best possible manner with a set from Andy Champion’s star-studded powerhouse quintet ACV. The second album is in the can and as is the way with these things will be released some time soon.
The material in this set at the Lit & Phil was a mixture of the familiar and the not so familiar. Giant Mice, What’s For Breakfast? and Dust Red have become audience favourites, there was a new number from reedsman Graeme Wilson and a reflective composition from bandleader Champion – Second Season - sounded good on first hearing. Wilson and guitarist Mark Williams reeled off solos with ease, so too pianist Paul Edis. Champion and drummer Adrian Tilbrook drove the band with no little enthusiasm and all brought something to the party on the outrageous Without Bones.
French percussionist Yann Joussein impressed on the first day of the festival with Tweedle-Dee and he stayed over to play a short solo set. Brushes, mallets, sticks and big bass bin dub loops combined to produce a well conceived sound.
Joussein’s compatriots Julien Desprez (guitar), Fanny Lasfargues (bass) and drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq work together as Q. Desprez comes from a left field perspective; feedback, pedals, sustain. Bassist Lasfargues plays it slung low, booming trance-punk lines and drummer Darrifourcq is one of the most sensational musicians heard in the long history of Jazz North East. He has the drive of Blakey or Tommy Chase but isn’t an exponent of a neo-bop sound. The European free jazz scene is where this amiable Frenchman is coming from. Massive technique, a listening, responsive participant of the trio and wow, when he goes into overdrive you certainly know about it. Memorable.
Russell.
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