Label: French Paradox, 2020
Personnel - Miguel Zenón: alto saxophone; Aaron Goldberg: piano; François Moutin: double bass; Raphael Pannier: drums + guests Jacob Bergson: keys, electronics; Giorgi Mikadze: piano.
With Faune, the New York-based French drummer/composer Raphael Pannier provides an arresting work of elaboration in which he includes serious-minded originals and renditions of known classical and jazz pieces made contemporary. His debut as a leader couldn’t have been so effective if he hadn't put together a tight-knit quartet fronted by his mentor and musical director, the Puerto Rican saxophonist Miguel Zenón. The group is rhythmically bolstered by pianist Aaron Goldberg and bassist François Moutin.
The lead-off track, Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”, is taken to new heights. Leisurely flowing and surrounded by space, this inventive interpretation finds the drummer throwing in some curve balls with textural ingeniousness and colorful technique (sometimes hand drumming too). The silkiness is slightly roughened for Zenón’s invigorating discourse, and then it’s Moutin’s stunning bass monologue that resumes the breathiness. The bassist talks empathically again on “Midtown Blues”, a Manhattan-inspired trio piece that thrives with piano elasticity and vividly swinging brushwork. It ends up with tradeoffs between the drummer and his bandmates.
The jazz covers are completed with Wayne Shorter’s “E.S.P.”, a staple of the Miles Davis Quintet, here redefined with a keen aesthetic sensitivity via an incredible control of tempo and steep variations. Feeling simultaneously focused and carefree, especially while swinging, this tune is bookended by a galloping intro and a crescendo-motivated outro, both atmospherically enriched by the producer/keyboardist Jacob Bergson.
The latter’s low-key yet distinguished touch also enriches “Forlane”, a memorable, often splendorous rendition of the third movement of Maurice Ravel’s 1917 solo piano suite Le Tombeau de Couperin. With Georgian pianist Giorgi Mikadze on board, the classical inspiration is brought up to date by the fascinating textural work of the musicians, each of them putting their personal stamp on it. Yet, the classical choices are not limited to the aforementioned piece, with the group tackling Messiaen’s “Le Baiser de L’enfant Jésus” with a polished sheen and a stripped-down accompaniment.
In certain instances, rich layers of complexity come naturally into Pannier’s writing and playing and that’s evident on the consistently spellbinding “Lullaby”, in which an insistent sluggish riff is affixed to an additive (4+5) tempo. Enthusiastic action-reaction is detected between sax and piano, and the piece increases robustness as it moves forward. He also composed “Monkey Puzzle Tree”, whose kinetic post-bop energy leads to a final drum solo.
I'm left to conclude that the quartet’s perception of Pannier’s music is thoroughly accurate. The drummer's gifted compositions are worthy of admiration while the non-original material sounds fresh without being sinister.
Grade A-
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lonely Woman ► 03 - Lullaby ► 08 - Forlane