Label:
Le Chant Du Monde – LDX 74526
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress, Gatefold / Country: France / Released: 1973
Style:
Free Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Free Improvisation
Recorded live at
Châteauvallon, August 23, 1972.
Design
– Henri Galeron
Photography
By – Guy Le Querrec
Engineer
– Bruno Menny, Jean-Bernard Plé
Supervised
By [Recording] – André Francis
Executive
Producer – Daniel Richard
Matrix
/ Runout (Side A Label): XWG 74526 A
Matrix
/ Runout (Side B Label): XWG 74526 B
A
- No, No, But It May Be ...........................................................
19:46
B
- No, No, But It May Be (2e T.) ................................................
24:30
Michel
Portal: clarinets, bass, double bass, alto & sopranino sax, taragot
Bernard
Vitet: trumpet, horn, violin
Léon
Francioli: double bass
Beb
Guérin: double bass
Pierre
Favre: percussions
Tamia:
vocal
Rare
LP, French Press only; this record : 271 grams + package weight : 250 grams
...One
of the artists that incorporates that huge creative streak, goes by the name of
Michel Portal and those who minimally know his music, are aware of his constant
search for new sounds, taking advantage of his provocative attitude to motivate
himself towards new horizons...
In the autumn of 1973 by the Chant du Monde, the concert Michel Portal Unit to À Châteauvallon upset many minds and inspired a generation of French musicians.
In the autumn of 1973 by the Chant du Monde, the concert Michel Portal Unit to À Châteauvallon upset many minds and inspired a generation of French musicians.
Michel
Portal, born in 1935 (Bayonne, France) stands out as a composer, clarinetist
and saxophonist, while several other instruments like the bandoneon (small
accordion) are also part of his repertoire.
In
addition to having studied clarinet at the Paris Conservatoire, he also studied
conducting with Pierre Dervaux, which would give him a solid background for
future projects.
The
diversity (or dissatisfaction) is present over a considerable part of the
career of this unusual artist. Apart from multi-instrumentalist, also when it
comes to musical genres, Portal has whittled different ways throughout his
extensive career.
His
musical anarchist tendencies revealed in different ways: in the participations
with Stockhausen in the late 60s, the award-winning movie soundtracks and the
reference pieces of contemporary or classical music, such as the remarkable
participation as soloist in “Domaines” of Pierre Boulez.
But
despite his artistic diversity, one of the labels he cannot get rid of, is the
“father of the French modern jazz”, being considered by many as one of the
architects of modern jazz and improvised music in the old continent. This
reputable title comes from the fact that he participated in the initial phase
of the free jazz movement in France (late 60’s) with musicians such as François
Tusques, Bernard Vitet or Sunny Murray.
With the aim of
promoting instant composition and collective improvisation, Portal still formed
the “New Phonic Art” (1969) and developed a strong partnership with John Surman
(first record of the Michel Portal Unit, created in 1971).
“No,
no but it maybe” was recorded in Chateauvallon on August 23, 1972 during a live
performance. The recording by ORTF (Office de Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion) had its first edition by the extinct “Chant du Monde”.
This
session of about 45 minutes of pure listening pleasure, has no line-up or
separation of tracks; only the magic of improvised music interpreted with great
mastery.
Despite
this excellent work having on the soils of Michel Portal and Bernard Vitet (who
died on July 3, 2013) the main protagonists, the other elements of this group
have an equally important contribution in creating pieces of great richness.
The
first part presents us a deep atmosphere, marked by the rhythm of the bass and
the interventions of Portal and Vitet on the reeds and horns. The percussion
(Pierre Favre) and the double-bass with bow (Beb Guerin, Léon Francioli) also
join this exclusive creation, conveying the idea of a natural atmosphere that
grows in rhythmic intensity until its end.
The
B side, in a something obscure and enigmatic line (with influences of movie
soundtracks) includes a beautiful performance of targot (instrument of clarinet
family) whose intriguing sounding triggers some vocal interventions (cries and
whimpers) by way of incentive. While a tribal and theatrical sound develops in
intensity, joins Tamia’s voice by way of scat-singing.
The
instrumental diversity used throughout this session is extremely well
coordinated, revealing the individual conscience of each element in favor of
the collective sound, even in the case of an exercise of pure improvisation.
Perhaps that’s why the name (Michel Portal) “Unit” makes some sense.
Given
the difficulty in describing in words the result of this work, it is
particularly important to hear it and feel it and therefore, no hesitation in
recommending this work to all who are interested in the European free jazz
movement.
With
almost 80 years of age, Michel Portal continues active and although no longer
recording with the regularity of the past, he continues to incorporate in his
music a contagious energy. His last works alternate between Jazz (Bailador,
2010) and interpretations of classical composers like Mozart or Brahms. As for
his next work, nobody knows, but will certainly have the stamp of innovation
and excellence that this great artist has used throughout his career of over 45
years.
Absolument
génial, Monsieur Portal!
Review by Mister
W
Text
taken from:
http://thejazzspot.tumblr.com/post/96501010638/michel-portal-unit-%C3%A0-chateauvallon-no-no-but
I
thank Mister W.
If
you find it, buy this album!
