joëlle léandre is an imposing force. it's not that she's particularly tall or robust. she just has this presence that makes her enormous while she's playing. perhaps it's the intensity of her thought and execution. maybe it's the way she confidently handles her acoustic bass, as though it were a tiny thing.
later, outside, she gave a tourist who clearly did not recognize her some help. she had the good humour and modesty you would hardly expect from someone who performs the aggressive and intense music she conjures. this was yet another one of those beautiful moments i come back to often, a special shard of music history that i'm happy to have been allowed to witness.
marilyn crispell brought her piano playing to this event in the same understated way she did with george lewis. she is a performer who really understands how to share a stage and a musical space. she engages free playing with the right attitude.
françois houle is françoise houle is fun fun fun. he, too, knew when to back off the stage and let léandre do her thing. good on him for letting us have a few moments of her solo bass work. he is a vancouver guy, she is from paris. the lady from paris wins more of my ear for the simple fact that it'll probably be ages before i see her again. i'll hopefully have time aplenty to enjoy more of houle's double clarinet antics.
finally, dylan van der schyff provided an appropriate percussive arrangement. with licked fingers sliding across his drums, dishtowels suppressing his thumps, and a little waterbottle playing (bastard, i thought - that's one of the things i use in my own percussive games).
the only chaos at this show was the steady stream of people who made a ruckus leaving early. léandre waved and said 'bye bye', but then covered her mouth and giggled as though she had done something really naughty. i'm surprised she didn't start yelling. people who show up to free or improvised performances, and suddenly question what the hell they're listening to, should really be a lot more polite about their exiting. be quiet and don't ruin it for everyone else. just because you've had your notions of music abused doesn't mean you have the right to stomp out like a pissy kid.
this was a fantastic gig, and worthy of the strong applause. can't wait to see the various members of this unit again. and would gladly schedule any visit to paris around the possibility of getting to see léandre live again.
on a funny side note, i really thought houle would be one of those few local guys i'd really like to someday get to play with in some capacity due to his skill and style (i can have absurd musical dreams, can't i?). i saw in the paper that jesse zubot (a cousin of some kind) just did a show with houle the other week. the mother beat me to it. jesse also did a performance of zorn's cobra last week with van der schyff. i could scream. or i could plot to kidnap him and take over his career. unfortunately i look nothing like the man. i recall that during my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary (this was well over 15 years ago) jesse's mom, i think, brought a recording young jesse had made for the event. his limelighting has gone on far enough damnit! of course i jest. it's not like i've even met him. and i only finally bought one of his albums this past weekend to hear what he was all about.
june 29, 2003, roundhouse
{October 06, 2003 11:26 PM}