Marcus Miller, Kenny Garrett, Michel Petrucciani, Bireli Lagrène and Lenny White
Dreyfus Night In Paris

Michel Petrucciani weighed 25 kilos and was about one meter tall. But he was a giant of jazz and one of the most important pianists of the twentieth century. It has been five years since his passing, which occurred at only 36 years old on January 6, 1999. However, the record market has never forgotten him, and neither has the public.
In these five years, several unreleased albums by Michel Petrucciani have been distributed, some truly beautiful, such as “Live In Tokyo” in trio with Steve Gadd and Antony Braxton right in the year of his passing, others less interesting.
This album, just released by the prestigious French jazz label Dreyfus, belongs in my opinion to the first group and really deserves to be listened to. It is the recording of a live organized by Dreyfus themselves and held in Paris on June 7, 1994. An extraordinary concert due to the mere simultaneous presence of some great jazz names. A quintet spontaneously formed for the occasion and composed, besides Michel Petrucciani at the piano, of Marcus Miller on bass, Biréli Lagrène on guitar, Lenny White on drums, and Kenny Garrett on soprano sax. The anticipation for the concert must have been incredible, especially since it was the first time these artists were all together on stage for a jam session.

And the listening enchants.
Fifty minutes of jazz, divided into only three tracks. The magnificent “Tutu,” “The King Is Gone” by Marcus Miller, and “Looking Up” by Michel Petrucciani.
The unforgettable interpretation of “Tutu” that Miles Davis offered in 1986 in the album entitled "Tutu" remains in the mind and the history of jazz. This live version is quite another thing, but it does not disappoint at all. The alternation between Petrucciani’s ever-emotional piano and Miller's precise bass pulse is, in fact, a real pleasure, as are Garrett's sax forays. The five maestros are never over the top. They manage to easily blend their music. They are able to measure the notes with extraordinary care and skill, without overpowering each other, never giving the impression of wanting to overdo it.
Perhaps, if we want to be particular, the only thing that initially disappoints me a little is hearing Biréli Lagrène's guitar on the sidelines, but with a little patience, here comes, after about six minutes, a long and elegant solo. Spine-tingling.
In the following track, “The King Is Gone,” the script is identical. Our musicians continue to blend and alternate against the backdrop of a beautiful theme, always and in any case managing to give a sense of coherence to their music. Not bad for five musicians playing together for the first time, right?
Instead, “Looking Up” closes the album on different registers. The difference is felt between Miller’s more reflective compositions and Petrucciani's more upbeat one, able to enhance Kenny Garrett's sax. And it's a beautiful listen, which in the end only increases the regret for the loss of an artist who gave so much to music both as a performer and as an author.

Recommended for enthusiasts and those wanting to become enthusiasts.