Customer Reviews

Walk of the Giant Turtle

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To judge by their album The Walk of the Giant Turtle, the French jazz quartet led by trumpeter Eric Truffaz is putting out some of the best modern instrumental jazz today. Starting out with the two-part semi-dissonant "Scody," the band really kicks it into high gear with "King B," a track that some filmmaker is bound to latch onto as a hero theme, and which bassist Marcello Guiliani carries with his thundering fretwork.

Other highlights of the CD are "Flamingos," in which Truffaz is able to really let go and is given excellent note support by keyboardist Patrick Muller. "Next Door" is another foot-tapper that gives drummer Marc Erbetta his chance in the spotlight. But the band as a whole shines on this CD of fine compositions that any Blue Note fan will find blends in well with their current collection. I just kept thinking while I was listening to The Walk of the Giant Turtle that this is what Duke Ellington would have sounded like had he counted rock and roll among his influences.

(The CD also contains an enhanced portion featuring a fifteen minute short film--or "camera freestyle"--directed by Zag of the title track.)

Truffaz marries electric-era Miles Davis with a more ambient, Jon Hassell-style of playing to come up with a CD that, if hardly a contender for intellectual experience of the year, can certainly be an entertaining listen at times. Often the trumpet and keyboards are so heavily processed you can't tell what's what, which is fine because it all makes a grand noise on the CD's rockier cuts. The slower numbers are pretty much all of a piece, with plenty of fine brooding atmosphere without being truly memorable. All of it will leave your brain wrinkle-free and can help pass some of the time on those longer road trips.

More and more of today's artist (jazz cats included) are releasing records that are merely collections of songs. I suppose the extended length of the CD compared to the LP, as well as the ability to access any track has contributed negatively. But Truffaz and co release albums.

The songs will stand alone, but this is best taken as a single musical dose. It flows from one track to the next bringing the listener straight to the end of the disc.

It's more fusion/electric/acid than traditional jazz, somewhat in the style of moderately late Miles. Is it good? I like it. it keeps me on my listening toes (ear toes, perhaps) from start to finish. it is not background music, but why buy a CD for background music. that's what the radio's for.

GENRE: jazz
STYLE: modern, beat
SOUND: French, warm, dark, running bass, funky drum, filling organ, fragile trumpet; occasinonaly heavy (with guitar)
INSTRUMENTS: trumpet, drum, bass, sounds, organ, piano, guitar
INSTRUMENTALISTS: Truffaz plays fragile, freaky sometimes, sometimes lays accents rather than playing a million notes a second, great bass walking around
TECHNICAL SKILLS: pretty ok
ORIGINALITY IN PERIOD OF MAKING: original
COMPARE TO: Nils Petter Molvaer
BALLS: three (maybe four)
STRIKING: ability to play very smoothly and very loud
WEAKNESSES: not on this album
AND...: Not a lot of jazz of wich it is said it's influenced by dance is worth bying. The mention of dance-music or modern effects sometimes is used to scare of more traditional focused jazzlovers. Truffaz and his band combine a lot of good 'old' atmosphere with new sounds, effects. Tastfully done. Enough for both camps.


FJB/O!-music 2006

This CD was worth the money. I have rather ecclectic listening tastes and this fits perfectly. I heard Truffaz first on his selection The Mask. This tune was grabbing so it prompted me to look for it. Not to be found anywhere,out of print,gone...you get the idea. So I purchased this CD. What good move. It's not hard bop(my favorite) but that's OK. I would describe it as a sophisticated electronic house music(opnions vary,I'll wager) with leanings toward soul jazz.