Personnel:
Cédric Caillaud (b), Gilles Réa (g)
Reference: FSRCD 5144
What strikes you from the very first notes is the rapport that radiates from these two fantastic musicians. They know each other well, for years and they’ve shared both stage and studio on a variety of projects.
Their idea this time was to celebrate their instruments by embarking on a journey through music written by guitar and double-bass legends. On the bass side we meet nothing less than Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, Oscar Pettiford, Christian McBride and Pierre Michelot. On the guitar side: Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Django Reinhardt, Toots Thielemans (too often tied only to his harmonica, he was a superb guitarist too) and Philip Catherine.
True lovers of jazz, our two artists handle the music’s language with effortless mastery, and they treat us to a subtly curated set.
How to describe Gilles Réa’s playing? So much finesse and musicality. You hear and savour his melodic sense and harmonic savoir-faire.No clichés, lines always on point, never any showboating—in short, a master craftsman of the guitar! And Cédric Caillaud, a renowned sideman, solid as a rock!
A time-keeper whose sound, swing and drive are gripping and spellbinding. Yet he’s also an exceptional, fully fledged soloist, as he shows here. The firm foundation he lays down is exchanged with brilliance for lyricismand a wonderfully delicate touch on the ballads.
The programme itself is irresistible. A fiery McBride tune sets the tone, then we travel—from Ray Brown’s or Joe Pass’s blues, to the bebop of Pettiford, Carter or Chambers, to the eclecticism of Jim Hall or Barney Kessel, to the lyricism of Django or Philip Catherine: what a trip! And it’s not just the famous hits; we rediscover a few hidden gems—pieces that were once overlooked or have slipped from the spotlight. The set makes clear just how much these “Bosses” have influenced our duo.
Though firmly rooted in American jazz, the repertoire adds a folk-tinged colour in its arrangement of “Gravy Waltz.” The disc also forms a bridge to a French touch: Claude Nougaro popularised the tune as “Les mains d’une femme dans la farine.” Looking towards their homeland, the duo then delights us with Django’s marvellous “Anouman” and a nod to the great Pierre Michelot via this take on a “Green Elephant.” Anyone who knew Michelot will sense the man’s mischievous spirit in that title.
What unfolds is a genuine conversation between two top-class musicians who listen and answer each other—sharing themes, trading them, playing in unison, rolling seamlessly from solo to solo, serving up delicious exchanges. You’re left wanting more!
—Paul Daulliac
