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March 2007
gig reviews

Martin Speake's Change of Heart
Forty Thieves Orkestar
Adam Waldmann Group
Michael Garrick Quintet
Gee, Gallo, Minetto
Sylvie Courvoisier and Mark Feldmann
Cameron Pierre
Jamie Woon
Cameron Pierre
Phil Robson à Six Strings and a Beat
Tim Berne à Big Satan
Robert Mitchell

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March 2007 gig reviews by Chris Parker

Sylvie Courvoisier and Mark Feldmann

Monday 12 March

The most musically satisfying experience I've had for some time was provided by Sylvie Courvoisier and Mark Feldman.

They began (and ended) with pieces from John Zorn's 'Masada' music (Feldman was a member of the Chamber Ensemble associated with the project): traditional-sounding Jewish airs provided the themes or springboards for dramatic, alternately rumbustious and achingly tender improvisations, involving much inside-piano work from Courvoisier.

She can, for instance, make the instrument thunder and roar by the use of mallets on its strings, but she also utilises adhesive strips to muffle the sound – and a plethora of high-register keening promiscuously mixed with exhilarating, plangently stirring melodies from Feldman, all delivered with infectious panache and hair-trigger co-ordination.

Originals from both players completed an hour-long set of unalloyed intensity, characterised by turbulent textural variety and virtuosic musicianship, all delivered with controlled passion laced with wit and charm.

Two incidental 'blog' items came to mind: Courvoisier simply could not have performed such unforgettably powerful improvised music with even a slightly inferior instrument; and silence (i.e. no background music) was the only conceivable setting, after the duo's music died away, to allow the audience to come gently back to earth.

 

 

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