Engagement & Confrontation

Nowadays, solo recordings are by no means exceptional, even for the contrabass. But what makes this side stand out from the rest is his concept of « preparing » the instrument in numerous ways, and to find out what it can do in such « altered » states. Beyond the bow and fingers, there are assorted paper-clips, rings, sticks, some directly put on the strings, others on the bridge. But what counts here is not so much the hardware, but the results, and these are no less than fascinating.

But the sounds reproduced here, with no overdubs, by the way, were captured via a multiple-miking system (ten in total), designed in conjunction with the session’s soundman Ross Murray. With various mixes and pannings of signals, the listener is afforded a kind of auditory « trompe l’il » (or « oreille », in this case), providing a variety of aural perspectives.

Inasmuch as its portent is conceptual, its intent is totally improvised. Indeed, the musician wanted to surprise himself during the recording, and let chance occurrences happen, something he refers to as « happy accidents. »

1. Felt Clips

2. Cages

3. Fromage en crottes

4. Seems… far too… familiar

5. Benibraun

6. For D/C

7. Paper Clips, Please

8. Interlude #1

9. Monsieur Carignan

10. Eczema

11. Interlude #2

12. Correspondances domestiques