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Artist: Matthieu Bordenave
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Matthieu Bordenave:

The Blue Land

For the follow-up of his ECM-leader-debut La traversée, French saxophonist Matthieu Bordenave expands his trio of German pianist Florian Weber and French bassist Patrice Moret with the unique sensibilities of drummer James Maddren, whose unrelenting pulse adds deft counterpoint to the group’s already idiosyncratic sound. Jazzwise magazine called the saxophonist’s previous recording “a graceful river of sound. As serene and meditative as this music may be it also has bursts, or rather flickers of energy and bold, focused, fluid movement, invigorating all the atmospheric counterpoint.” The flickers of energy are amplified on The Blue Land, setting the stage for angular interplay that sees each player dealing in swift counterpoint and melodic invention.

Writing the music for the album, Matthieu “had this idea of a band sound – a global sound – with everyone developing the music together, creating an immediately recognizable sonic character”. The unique character and collective approach is evident from the searching sounds of the introductory “La Porte Entrouverte”, with each player entering the proceedings consecutively, patiently, and the textural qualities of the group’s communication carried onward to the title track for further evolution.