Henri Texier recommendations?

[tonym]

Could any of you offer insights into Henri Texier albums?
i've been tempted frequently by his discs but for one reason or another have purchased something else. Advice would be welcome.

Thanks, tony.

[Bev Stapleton]

I would give a unreserved recommendation to 'Mosaic Man' - a glorious disc. Rich, melodic, constantly inventive.

'Remparts D'Argile' is a more austere trio disc but full of fire.

"An Indian's Week" is a beautiful too.

The recent 2 CD 'String's Spririt' is magnificent - though might be best saved until hearing some of the others as it has an 'Azure Quintet' + strings theme.

If you don't know them go for his trio discs with Louis Sclavis and Aldo Romano on Label Bleu. It was hearing a concert recording by this group on the radio whilst returning from London that first alerted me to Sclavis and Texier.

One of the things I love about Texier is the way he has absorbed a great deal of African music, especially in the rhythms, yet it is full integrated into the music. You never get the sense of glued together World Jazz.

If you want to sample one track that demonstrates this try to hear 'Mr. Freeman' off 'Mosaic Man'.

[tonym]

thanks.
i do like the idea of north african influences upon the music.
however, louis sclavis is a manwho i have had minimal contact with and although he is obviously very technically gifted and very highly regarded (plus i have yet to hear him on soprano) i am sorry to say that clarinet is an instrument that i have a problem with. basically i have trouble 'hearing' that register, in that the nuances found between players on alto sax, bass, drums and nearly everything else are audible to me. articulation aside, the 'sound' one clarinetist produces sounds much the same as another. i would take a blindfold test with many a band or instrumentalist.
if someone ever said to me they couldn't hear the difference between lee konitz and phil woods i would be amazed but this is a problem i am going to have to try and get over.

thanks for the advice, if sclavis does play soprano, forgive me.
keep them coming.

[LeMo]

Sclavis do play soprano AND Bass clarinet.
About your talk on clarinet.
Clarinet is the more subtil instrument (and the most difficult to master) of all reeds intruments (it was Pres first one).
Every great clarinet player have his on style and sound as any other reed player.
I suppose it's a "préjugé" than you have about the instrument because don't tell me than you can't make a difference between Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Perry Robinnson, Jimmy Giuffre or Sabir Mateen?
Aniway, about Henry Texier if you follow the good advise of Bev and go for "Mosaïc Man" you will hear the son of Texier, Sebastian who play fluently alto sax AND clarinet (one of the family of the straight clarinet because there is more than one clarinet and I'm not speaking, here, about the bass one).
It may be help you to change your mind.

[LeMo]

By the way, Sclavis DO play clarinet (straight one) but seems to concentrate more on bass clarinet these last years.

[tonym]

really lemo, i am not disputing that clarinetists have their own 'sound', every musician has their own. i play alto sax and by my own admittance, have trouble 'hearing' the higher registers.
it is because of this i do tend to avoid albums where clarinet is the solo instrument. i have some, eg. free fall and the last sclavis disc, but generally it is not something i go for. the same way in which many people may be put off by an album of bass solos.
i don't want to come across as prejudiced or narrow minded; we all have our preferences.

[Tom K]

I should recommend the same CDs as Bev does, plus, maybe, an older (1980s) one, LA COMPANERA.

[brownie]

For Henri Texier fans, his recent two albums with Aldo Romano and Louis Sclavis 'Carnet de Routes' and 'Suite Africaine' are highly recommended. They are on the French label Label Bleu (Harmonia Mundi distributes these).
Both CDs come with beautiful photos by the great photographer Guy Le Querrec.

[Joe]

I would also highly recommend a disc entitled RESPECT (again on Label Bleu), a summit meeting of Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Steve Swallow, Paul Motian and Texier. Many and varied musical associations (all of them masters of nuance and shading) between all these men are explored on this recording.

Any of Texier's appearances with drummer Daniel Humair -- especially on a couple of late 60's Phil Woods "European Rhythm Machine records -- is worth a listen, IMHO. Both men have cultivated great "sounds" on their instruments, and they sound great together.

[Claude]

I prefer the older albums such as Izlaz from 1988, with Joe Lovano (saxophones), Steve Swallow (el b) and Aldo Romano (dr). A lot of variation in the tunes (some free, some ballads) and great solos from everybody.

Unfortunately, the Label Bleu (http://www.transki.co.uk/label-bleu/discog.htm) CDs are not so easy to get in the US. Apparently, Izlaz is now available in a 2CD package with Colonel Skopje

http://www.jazzos.com/articles.cgi?key=Texier

http://www.jazzos.com/covershop/LB6588.jpg

[Bev Stapleton]

Special mention for the pianist in Texier's Azure Quartet, Bojan Zulfikarpasic from Belgrade. A beautifully melodic player who manges to get an Eastern European feel into his playing even when playing a blues based tune. One of the most immediately identifiable pianists around at present.

His 'Solobsession' on Label Bleu is highly recommended to lovers of solo jazz piano.

[STAN TRACEY]

Check out the Radio 3 live Broadcast from last year very impressive listening