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Portal or eclecticism.
There are many ways to navigate the boundless territories of jazz, following a personal path that reflects a verb imprinted in the DNA of thousands of musicians over a century of history. A path that, as it unfolds, reveals, like a bird's eye view, all the branches and connections that cross it.
The only page dedicated to the French clarinetist on DeBaser references his performance of Mozart's Clarinet Quartet, a testimony to the wide spectrum of music with which Portal has engaged, often with excellent results. From improvisation to classical, from the reinterpretation of film themes to countless collaborations (one of many being with Galliano, for that "Blow Up" which, listened to again recently, I recommend without hesitation), Portal's journey is among the most interesting in European jazz.
And gliding over the network of experiences and productions that characterize this French musician, with classical training and eclectic inclination, my gaze focuses on a singular and revealing episode: an album released in 2001 that I am now listening to again, savoring for the umpteenth time its multifaceted nature.
A Frenchman in America.
Minneapolis, in the American Midwest by the great lakes, is the city to which the Frenchman dedicates an unexpected and highly successful experiment. Blending his own technical richness and inspiration with the warm physicality of a rhythm section borrowed from the little prince of black music: Sonny Thompson (Bass) and Michael Bland (drums) come from Prince's court. To the black funky heart of the two is joined a white pianist, accustomed to changing contexts, from Jeff Beck to the London Symphony, via Sam Rivers: Tony Hymas.
Completing the varied group is a name that many will remember for the Living Color adventure: the guitarist Vernon Reid, also not new to unexpected collaborations.
Changing landscapes.
The beginning of the French musician's American journey seems to indicate a trajectory that follows the black soul of the quintet: a nervous and energetic introduction leading to a funky second track on which the bassist's rap performance unfolds.
Is this really a Portal album? Oh yes, it is!
And the third track declares it openly: soft velvet in the Frenchman's phrasing, over the atmospheric backdrop of Hymas's keyboards and measured drumming interventions.
From here on, it's a feast for the ears.
Improvisation and melody coexist, generated by sounds of surprising vitality: nervous and exuberant in the intricate rhythmic interweaving and consistently functional and concrete interplay, lyrical and evocative in the more "relaxed" episodes, such as the modern and delicate reinterpretation of "Good Bye Pork Pie Hat," Mingus's tribute to the late Lester Young.
Five years later.
While listening again, I do not discover moments of decline, episodes marked by predictability or creative "tiredness." On the contrary: details and small flashes shine even more clearly, confirming the pleasure I derived from the first listens.
I can further emphasize, however, the absolute symbiosis between the elements and qualities brought to the table by each of the musicians.
My personal taste veers towards the wonderful sound of Portal's bass clarinet and, for example, the splendid tribute he dedicates to Judy Garland. But the performances on sax (soprano and alto) and bandoneon are also excellent.
But the extreme functionality of Reid’s rare guitar interventions must also be acknowledged, as well as the effective and multifaceted contribution of Hymas's keyboards, a name that I believe is worth following closely.
The rhythm section, excellent in every episode, at times becomes a propulsive force with almost expressionist appearances, constantly supporting the spirit that runs through the 14 tracks, all original and signed by the Frenchman, by Hymas, or in collaboration with various members.
What else to say?
That revisiting this album and bringing it to your attention seemed, while listening to it again, almost a duty.
I have drawn (and continue to draw) with extreme pleasure from the dozens of excellent pages dedicated to jazz on DeBaser, discovering and rediscovering gems that defy time, always emerging victorious.
I believe "Minneapolis" by Portal will continue to sound fresh, inspired, and vital even in ten years. I invite you to taste it, hoping it will not disappoint you.
Happy listening.
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