CD Review: Louis Sclavis, Dominique Pifarely and Vincent Courtois - Asian Fields Variations .

Louis Sclavis (clarinets), Dominique Pifarely (violin), Vincent Courtois (cello).

(Review by Steve T).

What ECM do consistently well is mix Jazz with classical music and this is no exception, but rather than being Jazz with a hint of classical, it's more classical with a bit of Jazz, particularly on Asian Fields, with impressive solos on clarinet and violin, though this is by no means stronger than the rest of the album.

Arriving at Jazz through Black American Music, my interest in classical music is minimal, restricted to a few composers, though French composers are amongst my favourites, and generally an orchestra rather than a smaller ensemble. Clarinet, violin and cello suggests chamber music but Sclavis claims there's more to it than that and I tend to agree.

The three of them have played together as duos, a trio and part of larger ensembles since 1987. As a trio they re-launched in 2015 at the Vaulx Jazz Festival near Lyon, indicating that Jazz is viewed very differently on the continent as much as the eclecticism of Jazz Festivals nowadays.

The album is consistently good throughout, a view shared by my various passengers through its regulation three spins, but I doubt I'll pull it out again, which doesn't have to be a bad thing.

If this is how you like your Jazz, or for that matter your classical, it's been out since March.

Listen/buy.

Steve T.
Hugh's link (see comments).