Francois Couturier, piano solo – Un Jour Si Blanc – ECM

by | Mar 29, 2010 | Jazz CD Reviews | 0 comments

Francois Couturier, piano solo – Un Jour Si Blanc – ECM 2103, 60:14 [3/30/10] ****:

Un jour si blanc, the latest release from François Couturier on ECM, is a good album but not an easily grasped one. It’s the second in a trilogy of solo works for the pianist, and filled to the brim with references and homage to Couturier‘s creative heroes. The title track is an homage to film director Andrei Tarkovsky, whose work he explored and paid tribute to on his 2006 ECM release Nostalghia: Song for Tarkovsky. The poet Arthur Rimbaud and on-going influence of J.S. Bach also have songs dedicated to them, and the influence of classical composers and European avantgarde traditions is evident on the record. In its few more accessible moments Couturier’s compositions resembles that of his ECM label mate Keith Jarrett’s solo works like 1975’s The Koln Concert, but most of the album explores more difficult territory. The album is loose and occasionally meandering as Couturier moves slowly through different musical styles and moods, and the lack of structure can occasionally frustrate the listener, but those who stick on through formless segments will be richly rewarded.

On the first track, L’aube, Couturier shows how much space he can give a composition. The opening minutes of the song feature him playing his piano as though it were a gong, slamming down on harsh chords, and then letting the sound dissipate completely before moving on. Around the two and a half minute mark, Couturier plays a more emotive melody with the slow pace that will characterize much of the album.

Un calme matin orangé,
demonstrates how effective Couturier’s unorthodox songwriting can be. The opening theme is allowed to bounce back and forth for a few minutes. Other, more impatient artists would feel the need to add more drama or energy, but Couturier allows the melody to sink in before abruptly increasing the speed and ferocity of his playing. The melodic line remains much the same, but the way he manipulates its tempo and intensity is a study in the power of contrasts.

Lune de miel is the closest thing to jazz on the album, but even here Couturier skirts playing the main theme straight through.. He will approach it, let it to begin to form, and then either subvert it with a sharp unexpected chord or simply allow it to peter off. The effect is that of an afternoon idyll, enjoying a pleasurable tune and not rushing to complete it.

Le soleil rouge is the most dramatically structured composition on the album. It opens with a high-energy melody which resembles nothing so much as chase-scene music from a thriller. Around the one minute mark Couturier begins to explore some of the atonal possibilities latent within the tense theme, and he takes his time disassembling his melody.

The title track, Un Jour Si Blanc, requires a certain effort from the listener, but it’s very much worthwhile. The track has very little rhythmic dynamics, and if listened to too intently may appear to be of little substance. If, however, the listener relaxes and allows the song to wash over them, the rich melancholy of Couturier’s performance builds and builds until around the three and a half minute mark he reaches what may be the most transcendent moment on the record.

Couturier is an exciting composer working in a fresh and undefined region where avantgarde traditions of many types, from jazz to classical, intersect.  He doesn’t spell things out for his audience, or even worry much about keeping their attention. He does, however, stay true to his vision and let his compositions move where they want at the pace they want, and the sounds and emotions which are created by these free-form tracks are rich and unique. Un Jour Si Blanc is a solid purchase and this critic looks forward to the final installment of the trilogy.

TrackList: L’aube, Un calme matin orangé, Lune de miel, L’intemporel (Hommage à J.S. Bach), Le soleil rouge, Der Blaue Reiter, Sensation (Hommage à Arthur Rimbaud)
Un jour si blanc (Hommage à Andreï Tarkovski), Colors (Part 1-4), Clair-obscur (Part 1-2), Voyage d’hiver, Par les soirs bleus d’été, Moonlight

— Ethan Krow


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