Martial Solal Live at the Village Vanguard (CamJazz). The CD’s subtitle is I Can’t Give You Anything but Love. In this recital, the French pianist gives his listeners more than love. We get architectural thinking, drollery, daring, virtuosity that includes astonishing mastery of meter, and chord voicings that illuminate like fireworks. Solal was 80 when this was recorded in 2007. His command of the instrument and his intellectual resources were in full operation. He interprets seven standards with insights into the natures of the songs, deep harmonic substance and inflections of his endearing wit. Among other delights, following his deep ruminations during “‘Round Midnight” he makes pointed allusions to other Thelonious Monk compositions; integrates crippled cadences into “On Green Dolphin Street;” plays abstractions of the melody, astringent parallel harmonies and stride flurries in “Corcovado.” Solal has always managed to integrate profundity and entertainment without sacrificing anything of either. Two of his own compositions, “Ramage” (French for “flower patterns”) and “Centre de Gravite,” have characteristics suggested by their titles and give the impression of pure improvisation, whether or not they are.
Because of his command of the piano, Solal is often compared with Art Tatum. Fair enough; what jazz pianist of his generation with the technical ability to emulate Tatum was not under the influence of that master? Bud Powell is less often mentioned as a component of Solal’s musical makeup, but on this night at the Vanguard, Powell was a beatific presence peering out of Solal’s solos. A listener might also hear traces of other pianists of several eras and styles; Bill Evans, Teddy Wilson, Al Haig or Solal’s young countryman Michel Petrucciani. Still, when this CD ends, Solal has confirmed yet again that he is unclassifiable, a thorough original.
Solal will probably remain a household name among connaisseurs only, though he’s already immortal due to his amazing soundtrack for Godard’s “A bout de souffle”. Thanks for giving him the credit he deserves.
Greets from Haarlem, NL
Stijn
He’s so very, very great!
I’ve just taken the opportunity to see him play a solo concert in London two weeks ago, and it was an astonishing experience – perhaps my greatest concert experience! (And indeed I was lucky to be present for the Vanguard solo recording – I heard all 12 sets that week!) Accompanying the dizzying feeling of joy in hearing his exuberant invention is the frustration that there’s just to much of it (too much detail, too much music!) to absorb at a single sitting, and all of it GREAT. He is blinding! (And, I would venture, at a peak right now).
He has also since played a recent celebration invitational concert in France, joined, I believe, by Hank Jones.