Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jacques Schwarz-Bart: Son

121

Jacques Schwarz-Bart: Son

By

Sign in to view read count
Jacques Schwarz-Bart: Son
Jacques Schwarz-Bart has already achieved the dream that popped into his head over twenty years ago when he picked up a tenor saxophone on a whim during a vacation. He's now got a resume that includes the Berklee School of Music and stints with Roy Hargrove, Ari Hoenig, and Giovanni Hidalgo. But Schwarz-Bart has carried another dream for many years: to combine jazz with Gwoka, the three-hundred year old rhythmic tradition of Guadeloupe, his homeland. Soné Ka-La is the culmination of that dream.

"Gwoka comes from a central African word meaning "the drums. It has seven fundamental rhythms, and Schwarz-Bart has been fascinated with the sound since he first heard it at age four. He's been incorporating Gwoka into his writing since he was fifteen, when his primary instrument was guitar; Soné Ka-La lets Schwarz-Bart's love for that sound bloom full flower, even as it showcases his versatility as a player and composer. Be prepared, though: Gwoka may be over three centuries old, but Schwarz-Bart's musical feet are planted firmly in the 21st century.

"Papalé jumps out at the listener like a hungry jungle cat, spurred on by a relentless "war rhythm called Mendé. War seems far, far away as Milan Milanovic and Lionel Loueke lay down a funky dancing vamp and Schwarz-Bart hits the chorus hard, playing his tenor with an assist from a wah-wah pedal. Like most of the tracks on Soné Ka-La, "Papalé has an additional driver called mouth drums, which can only be described as beatboxing gone wild. The sound is almost tribal, but the wild vibe that fuels it feels like hard-charging hip-hop. Either way, the music gets your shoulders shimmying and your mind screaming, "let's party!

Schwarz-Bart isn't done with technological assists: his sax goes through a harmonizer on the growling title track, is righteously phased on the aptly-named "Drums & Bass. He also double-tracks airy flute on "Déshabillé over vocals by Jacob Desvarieux—the founder of the Francophone zouk group Kassav, who has popularized Gwoka in Europe, West Africa and the Caribbean. Although the bells and whistles don't detract from the date, Schwarz-Bart's soulful tenor is best appreciated when he's playing in the clear, as he does on meditative pieces like "Ascent and "The Chains.

Outstanding performances abound on Soné Ka-La—most notably from Loueke, bassist Mark Kelley, carnival band vocalist Jean-Pierre Coquerel, and an army of amazing percussionists (Schwarz-Bart's mother Simone chips in, too, contributing hushed poetry to the spiritual closer "Léwoz ). Milanovic is the key player though, his acoustic work is reminiscent of another Schwarz-Bart employer, Danilo Perez, and his sizzling Fender takes the music to the same electric place Flora Purim and Airto Moreira took us to in the 70's.

Soné Ka-La may have been a pet project for Schwarz-Bart, but the disc has a wonderfully infectious quality that makes it accessible to all. In a genre that frequently takes itself all too seriously, this kind of musical joy is always welcome.

Track Listing

Palal

Personnel

Jacques Schwarz-Bart
saxophone, tenor

Jacques Schwarz-Bart: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute, guitar (1-3, 4, 7, 10, 12), vocal (4, 10), triangle (1, 12), mouth drums (1, 4, 9, 13); Milan Milanovic: piano, Fender Rhodes; Lionel Loueke: guitar (1-2, 4-6, 8-13), vocal (9); Mark Kelley: bass (1-4, 6, 10, 12); Patrice Blanchard: bass (7, 9); Vicente Archer: acoustic bass (5, 11); Sonny Troup

Album information

Title: Son | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Unknown label

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.