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Live in concert
Luca Aquino -Tore Brunborg - Jim Watson
Manu Katché ACT 9577-2
Live in concert
June. Monday night. There's a special ambience inside the New Morning. The faithful are all here, and you can feel it. As soon as Manu Katché launches into
his concert — with the snap of a snare, a rumble on the toms — you can sense this is going to be some journey and he's not holding back. Beneath his cap, a
broad grin lights up his immense desire to play. There's something in the air: an exceptional moment is coming. The quartet present on stage played some 130
concerts last year, which has given it impressive cohesion, a superb, solid sound that sweeps all before it. Braced by layers of Hammond organ from the subtle
Jim Watson, trumpeter Luca Aquino – now replacing the excellent Nils Petter Molvær – takes flight. Inside his percussive tone threads the same, velvet lyricism
dispensed by Paolo Fresu, one of his former teachers. The twin saxophone-voices of Tore Brunborg, tenor and soprano, cousins of Jan Garbarek, conduct a
perfect dialogue with the trumpet's elegant arabesques. This group emits a delicious mixture of rigour and creative freedom where everything remains possible.
During a break, Manu steps out from behind his kit to thank the audience for coming, and apologize for any inconvenience caused by the technical crew present
in the room because tonight the concert is being filmed and recorded. The live capture of the proceedings will give birth to the next "live" album from the
group, who demonstrate an impressive mastery over atmospheric changes, just as much at ease in a minimalist climate as they are when muscling their way
through a piece bordering on funk with an edgy bass-synth line ("Keep On Trippin’" and "Beats & Bounce"). Inside the room, the ambience is now totally electric.
Despite several encores, the audience still hasn't had enough. Manu thanks them warmly, chatting as if with friends, and confessing: "We wouldn't have had
nearly as much pleasure playing the same things in front of empty seats." Amplifying the palpable intensity of that exchange, Manu encourages the audience
to sing, persuading those present in this legendary club tonight that they can do even better than a roomful of Americans. And when, in chorus, they all pick
up the short riff from the old title "Snapshot", Manu Katché reaches total communion. Thanks to those few notes, the sense of sharing between musicians and
audience alike becomes almost physical. With the concert over, in the midst of the crowd on their (regretful) way out of the New Morning there's the notion that
the magic of this very special night will take a long time to evaporate.
Manu Katché would like to thank: A. Adler, D. Massot, R. Di Matteo, G. Meignan, V. Wlodinguer, Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Company and Remo Heads. Very special
thanks to: My family and friends for their everyday support and love.
Recording and mixing engineer: Manu Guiot. Mastered by Raphael Jonin at J Raph i.n.g.
Linernotes: Olivier Bride. Photos by Visual. Music published by Anteprima Prime
Management & Booking: www.anteprimaproductions.com