The moment you‘ll hear the first few bars, you’ll instantly want to jump to your record shelf and rummage for the substantial blue-note-records: Herbie Hancock’s »Maiden Voyage«, Lee Morgan’s »The Sidewinder«, Hank Mobley’s »Soul Station«. These are the references for the third album by jazz pianist Florian Pellissier The French jazzman and his quintet have captured the spirit of classical Hardbop in such a perfect manner on »Cap De Bonne Esperance« (not least by recording it live in the studios) that you could easily try to foist it on Jazz-aficionados as a long lost Rudy-van-Gelder-recording from 1964. On the other hand, despite its analogue nonchalance, the record smells of a certain affinity for hip hop and club sounds, especially when listening to the funky track »Les Masques Africains«. It’s no surprise, considering that Pellissier’s Band-colleagues play in nu-jazz-formations like Electro Deluxe, not to mention Florian Pellissier’s very own activities as a keyboarder, for example for hip hoper Guts Harold McNair’s irresistibly grooving »The Hipster« is being complemented by nine classy original compositions; in addition there is one lovely swing track at the end: Pellissier’s label colleague Leron Thomas shines with vocals and a muted trumpet in the standard hit »What A Difference A Day Makes«. Brilliant.
Joe Henderson
Power To The People
Craft