Francois Carrier Trio @ Recital Rooms, Newcastle Uni. May 22.

 Francois Carrier (alto saxophone & Chinese oboe), Michel Lambert (drums) & Steve Beresford (piano)
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
Jazz North East’s latest On the Outside promotion featured the French-Canadian duo of reeds man François Carrier and drummer Michel Lambert working with the experienced improvising pianist Steve Beresford.

François Carrier explored the full range of his alto, at times nearing (and sustaining) the sound of the tenor horn. Richly melodic, frequently intense (during the interval Carrier spoke of his admiration for Coltrane), the altoist presented a series of short pieces from a clutch of recordings, which, conveniently, were available at the door. Drummer Michel Lambert, a long-time musical partner of Carrier, is surely a ‘first call’ musician on the Canadian scene. A quiet man, a quiet musician (working extensively with brushes), Lambert listened intently to Carrier and Steve Beresford, frequently executed devastating rhythmic patterns. Carrier’s understanding (and love of) the bop idiom broke cover from time to time amidst the freely improvised material. Beresford, in expansive mood, prepared the canvas as a focused Carrier busily worked an expressionist palette.
Carrier picked up and played the Chinese oboe. A small, flute-like instrument with a sound veering from piccolo to bagpipe (the reed a combination of plastic and fuse wire), the genial Canadian was later to explain he acquired the instrument in a shop in Camden, London. He spent four hours in the shop trying every exotic instrument in there, no doubt trying the patience of the sales assistant!

Beresford’s prepared piano antics were at a premium. A clockwork toy dispatched into the Steinway’s inner workings so intrigued Lambert he stopped playing, got up and looked under the lid. Laughter, the end of the piece! Carrier has worked with some of the stellar names on the improv scene. He is a top-drawer attraction in his own right. Next time make sure you’re there to hear him.     

Earlier, a short opening set by a music department ad hoc grouping of lecturer, undergraduates and Tyneside’s low-fi man Posset - on-the-night collaborators. Posset (functioning/malfunctioning old-school cassette recorders, empty drinks can) and vox humana experimentalists won the Best Name of the Week award with Posset Reads to Impossibility Knocks. Sitting comfortably (ostensibly members of the audience), the ‘vocal ensemble’ got up one by one to join the drinks can cassette man. Bottom-end guttural drawls escaped from the hastily assembled menagerie. One of the caged beasts exited through a door, soon to return, whistling, via another door (Student? £5.00 please).
Ken Drew Photos.

Russell.