BRÛLEZ LES MEUBLES

FOLIO #5

Tour De Bras/Circum-Disc

Louis Beaudoin-de la Sablonnière, electric guitar/composer; Eric Normand, electric bass/composer; Ingrid Laubrock, tenor saxophone; Jonathan Huard, vibraphone; Marianne Trudel, piano/composer.

I was surprised to learn that the group’s name, “Brûlez Les Meubles” literally translates to “Burn the Furniture.”  That made me laugh out loud.  Actually, in French that name comes from an expression “Sauver les Meubles” that means ‘preserve the essential.’  That makes a little more sense to me than ‘burn the furniture.’

Brûlez Les Meubles debuted their approach to Avant-garde music in 2016.  The guitarist and the bassist are the founders of this group, Sablonnière and Normand. On this latest release, that duo invites a fist full of legendary improvisers to their studio party.

The guests include Ingrid Laubrock who makes a bold statement on her tenor saxophone at the top of Track #2, snatching my attention alive and awake.  The tune is called “Conscience Du Tragique” (Aware of Tragedy) and although it starts out with a bang, letting the tenor sax rule, it soon settles into a more melodic improvised piano piece. Marianne Trudel takes stage center, sharing her impression of tragedy with the listener, egged on by Louis’s electric guitar and Eric Normand’s bass.  In the background, Jonathan Huard plays his vibraphone delicately placed beneath Laubrock’s more civil saxophone improvisation.

Earlier releases featured just the two founders of Brûlez Les Meubles with drums.  Below is a sample of the embryo of their concept. I enjoy this latest release more.

“Folio #5” is their first outing without drums, and although the drummers of previous releases would sometimes fall weightless rather than aggressive on former recordings, this recent release drums are conspicuously missing. Their absence provides a distinct, more open feeling. Award-winning percussionist, Jonathan Huard (who plays vibes on this project) has collaborated in the past with Brulez’s Eric Normand in various groups. He adds to the rhythm, drifting in and out of the openness, like clouds in space.

This unique improvised music is headed by two of Quebec’s leading improvisers, Louis Beaudoin-de la Sablonniere and Eric Normand (Rimouski). The pair have known each other for many years, sharing a mutual interest in Avant-garde musical concepts. In spite of their different artistic backgrounds, as well as the fact that they live miles apart from each other, there is still warm camaraderie.  They unite in music to entertain us with unique and unexpected compositions.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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