Biréli Lagrène
Standards

"Sessibon, sessibon-sessibon" sang Albertone in the sixties. C'est si bon is indeed the first track of this beautiful and very enjoyable album on various listening levels, whether critical or relaxed while driving at night. Unassailable like Fort Knox, monumental yet light; huge in artistic content but at times delicate as a feather.

Bireli Lagrene is an uncomfortable character, difficult to classify, with alternating results and a thousand faces. A direct heir of the best European jazz tradition and ideal continuator of the Reinhardt Legacy, in this trio album he is at the peak of form, inventiveness, and pure creativity. The classic sounds of the instruments: semi-acoustic guitar, double bass, and drums (with some rare background string keyboards) make this album one of the best examples of the art of the Jazz Guitar Trio.
Highly personal in the presentation of the themes, all well-known standards, worn out but under the 'Lagrene Treatment' they are reborn to absolute new splendor.
The two rhythms are the best the European scene could offer at the time of the recording in 1992: André 'Dede' Ceccarelli on drums and the recently deceased Niels Pedersen on double bass. About the first, it can only be said that he is an exceptional musician: a solid rock for time stability and the ability to understand where the piece is going to support and often anticipate the changes and stops of the soloist, in this case, Bireli. A 'reference' drummer for many overseas artists when they tour Europe, as well as a stable pillar of Dee Dee Bridgewater, just to name one. Of the second, it is recommended at least to listen to his work alongside sacred monsters such as Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson or, just to name one, his album as a leader with Renee Rosnes 'Friends forever: in memory of Kenny Drew'. Anyway: in this album, Niels does wonders on the double bass that an advanced electric bassist would have serious difficulties mastering on his electric bass, which is much more 'user friendly' than the old faithful and cumbersome 'dog house'!

The technical and artistic quality of Pedersen's solos is stunning, and the overall impact of the whole album is huge even after it's over: the notes resonate in the air! The variety of pieces, ranging from slow to bossa to fast rides, and the absolute overall musicality make it an album to purchase without hesitation both for those approaching jazz for the first time and for those, however sophisticated, looking for something very valid, perhaps eternal and surely infallible. Classics never die, and this album will return repeatedly to the player throughout your life.
The tracks: 1) 'C'est si bon', a standard unjustly neglected by the jazz world, perhaps because it's French and thus unknown in the USA 2) 'Softly, as in a morning sunrise', which was glorified thanks to Trane's golden touch 3) 'Days of wine and roses' 4) 'Stella by starlight' 5) 'Smile', a beautiful piece by Charlie Chaplin 6) 'Autumn leaves', another French staple 7) 'Teach me tonight' 8) 'Donna Lee' by Parker, with a stratospheric Pedersen: old chap, may God bless you, but how on earth could you be so talented yet so modest and simple as a person? 9) 'Body and soul' 10) 'Ornithology' 11) 'How insensitive' and finally 12) 'Nuages', this time we hear it done right: Pino Daniele, I love you, of course, but please listen and learn. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful, indeed: beautiful! A musical mastery. I allow myself to say it because, when recommending something to someone, it is obvious and perhaps necessary, for the one writing, to go with the best available, with the sure thing; with the Standards indeed.