Within the realms of his Renku trio, the reed specialist Michaël Attias deliberately glides towards a contemplative space. His partners in sensitivity are bassist John Hébert and drummer Satoshi Takeishi. In this setting, Attias deliberately confines himself to the alto saxophone, although his sonic results are anything but self-shackled. Often, when Attias is playing around the city he'll be soloing more aggressively or crafting sharply jabbing themes as part of a thrusting frontline. Most of the pieces here inhabit a peaceful zone, allowing maximum potential for individual elaboration. There's a hovering, circulatory motion, with these three playing at the traditionally lyrical end of their range.
Renku is a form of Japanese poetry that usually involves real-time collaboration. These sessions were recorded in Coimbra, Portugal, when his quintet was playing a three-nighter at the 2008 Jazz ao Centro Clube Festival. Although Attias is the leader, he only provides two compositions, with Hébert bringing three, the songbook completed by a tune apiece from Jimmy Lyons and Lee Konitz. The latter's "Thingin'" has Attias capering lightly, Takeishi's brushes glancing lightly around his skins and cymbals, Hébert's bass creeping underfoot.
Abstraction reigns on "Do & The Birds," with Takeishi pottering around his field of gongs and woodblocks. Attias enters over a thrumming bass line, delicately flamingo-legging through their terrain. "Fenix Culprit" makes a hectic dash, Attias squirming out his lines, letting them wriggle seductively past the ears. This track features guest Russ Lossing on piano.
All of the compositions keep their duration down concisely, fomenting direct communicativeness. "Sorry" (the Lyons tune) features outstandingly dexterous bass and drum solos towards its conclusion and all three players are both wiry and supple on "Universal Constant." When Hébert's opening "Creep" is reprised at the disc's close, it recalls an Art Ensemble Of Chicago feeling of mournful yearning. - Martin Longley
In partnership with John Hébert on bass and Satoshi Takeishi on drums, alto saxophonist Michael Attias releases a really sensitive and passionate album, all in a post-boppish mode, with covers of Lee Konitz'"Thingin'" and Jimmy Lyons'"Sorry", but with a range and sensitivity that goes a step further. Listen to "Do & The Birds" to hear some real beauty emerge out of random sounds, in the most free form imagineable. Although the performance was recorded in one afternoon at the occasion of a jazz festival in Coimbra, Portugal (but not at the festival), the trio has been playing together since 2003, and that can be heard. They are joined by Russ Lossing on piano on "Fenix Culprit" the most intense track. And although half of the tracks are composed by Hébert, the main voice obviously is the alto. The lyricism of Attias is astounding, his tone is warm and sensitive, and without raising his voice, his tone is quite powerful. Hébert and Takeishi are the perfect band mates: precise, responsive and playing with the same level of disciplined passion. - The Free Jazz Collective
A renku is a form of Japanese poetry that originated over one thousand years ago. Here, superfine and somewhat under-recognized saxophonist Michaël Attias uses the renku as an interactive jazz frontier with his crack rhythm section. The musicians have performed on and off since 2003. Unsurprisingly, their intuition and synergy looms rather prolifically throughout. Thus, Attias is one of the best in the biz, and this 2009 endeavor reemphasizes that notion in glimmering fashion.
The trio attains a translucent balance, where sheer might, eloquence, and capacious movements ride atop buoyant, asymmetrical pulses. Attias is a fluent technician who injects variable amounts of gusto, soul and warmth into the grand scheme, while possessing a fluent attack. On saxophone great Lee Konitz’s “Thingin,” the musicians gel to a carefree setting, sparked by Satoshi Takeishi’s dance-like brush patterns across the snare drum. Moreover, Attias conjures up a wistful mindset as the band gradually instills tension, which is an element that carries forth on the somewhat scrappy free-form piece, “Do & the Birds.”
It’s no secret that Takeishi is a multitasking performer. With this outing, he integrates small percussion implements and tiny cymbal hits to add texture and rhythmic color. Attias is a master at understating a primary melody line, akin to the intent of an author unfolding a plot. The trio effectively mixes it up during late saxophonist Jimmy Lyons’ composition “Sorry,” as they render a scorching bump-and-grind motif, spotted with variable flows and the leader’s sizzling flurries. They close out the program with a reprise of the first piece “Creep,” via extended unison notes and Attias’ harmonious alignment with bassist John Hébert. Sure enough, Attias and his associates are at the very top of their game throughout this irrefutably compelling musical statement. - Glenn Astarita
Tracks
1. Creep (John Hébert)
2. Thingin' (Lee Konitz)
3. Do & The Birds (Michaël Attias)
4. Fenix Culprit (Michaël Attias)
5. Wels (John Hébert)
6. Sorry (Jimmy Lyons)
7. Universal Constant (John Hébert)
8. Creep (Reprise) (John Hébert)
MICHAËL ATTIAS alto saxophone
JOHN HÉBERT double bass
SATOSHI TAKEISHI drums, percussion
RUSS LOSSING piano (4)
Recorded at Salão Brazil, Coimbra in June 7, 2008
Clean Feed – CF162CD (Portugal)