" Parce Que ! " May 2014

(Photo : Quartet at So What club, La Gaude, Jazz festival sous les bigaradiers in November 2013. )

James Johnson Sweeney
(Director of the Guggenheim Museum New York, 1952-60 ) :
 " A painting by Soulages, it’s not a melody, it is chords on hold on the keyboard"

The idea of ​​this album collective improvisations around Pierre Soulages’s Outrenoir came by playing primarily with bass piano arpeggios and a series of notes held, causing dense harmonic and deep sound " immatière ".
I invited Eric-Maria Couturier, cello , Emmanuelle Somer English horn, oboe, bass clarinet, saxophone and Bruno Tocanne, drums, to visit and experience these paintings on the internet then join my piano sounds by bringing their own nuances and reflections for a recording session at Studio 26 in Antibes, November 18, 2013.
Interacting with this idea and music artist Anne Pesce created the album cover .
Mixing: Maïkôl Seminatore at The Border Studio. February 2014.
Mastering: Marwan Danoun at Studio Galaxy .
March 2014.
Label : Facing You / IMR 005
Distribution: Musea
iTunes

Titles :
Trace ouate
Coulures apparences
Signe banquise
Ratures brumes
Griffures au fond

"Why black ? The only response, including reasons unknown, lurking in darkest of ourselves and the powers of the painting is: "Because" ( "Parce que" in french ) " (Pierre Soulages, 1986) *

The cover of French pianist Henri Roger’s latest album, Parce Que ! , delivers no information about its title, musicians, the recording etc. Just a plain dark painting and a barcode on the back cover. The mysterious cover, designed by Anne Pesce, is the inspiration for a set of collective improvisations by Roger, together with cellist Eric-Maria Couturier, woodwinds and reed player Emmanuelle Somer and drummer Bruno Tocanne, all participants in previous Roger projects.

The improvisations, as can be found in Roger website, are inspired by the Outrenoir series of about 30 paintings by one of France greatest painters, Pierre Soulages (b. 1919). Soulages is known as "the painter of black," after his unique explorations of light reflections on black colors. The improvisations are sonic abstractions on Soulages impressions on dark lights—intense, dense and profound textures. These improvisations patiently evolve, stressing conflictual yet tight interplay, equivalent to the meeting of the bright light with the dark colors.

Roger and the always resourceful Tocanne define the structure, energy and pulse of these tense pieces, still offering Couturier and Sommer enough room to contribute nuances that intensify the atmosphere. The only exception is the contemplative "Signe banquise," where Somer and Couturier’s poetic articulations play lead roles. The last piece, "Griffures au fond," is a culmination of this sonic journey. Powerful, complex exploration of dark sounds, colors and shades, delivered with impressive command and imagination.
Track Listing : Trace ouate ; Coulures apparences ; Signe banquise ; Ratures brumes ; Griffures au fond.

Personnel : Eric-Maria Couturier : cello ; Henri Roger : piano ; Emmanuelle Somer : cor anglais, oboe, bass clarinet, saxophone ; Bruno Tocanne : drums.

Eyal Hareuveni. All About Jazz