Personnel:
Jérémie Lucchese (ts), Oliver Van Niekerk (g), Levi Harvey (p), Gabriel Sauzay (b), Paul Lefevre (d)
Reference: FSNT-718
Bar code: 8427328437189
Official release date: October 17, 2025
Through poetic and vibrant scenes, the group illustrates its landscapes and textures. Each essay calls for an imaginary moment, an excursion from the intimate to the outdoors, and offers an open vision of a plot, a setting, a character. The melodic framework is colored by saxophone/guitar unisons whose very particular light shines in contact with an impressionistic rhythm section. The music bubbles, transcends and emerges from the magma of sensitivity that characterizes the playing/listening relationship of each of its members through interaction.
Essais Pour L’imaginaire Vol II, is a fascinating collection of new music by Jérémie Lucchese, an accomplished saxophonist who’s music is full of excitement and wonder. The players in the band all display nimble dexterity and lightning quick capabilities, making this a fantastic and refined listening experience. This adaptable and versatile ensemble spans the gamut from rhythmic and romping up-tempo swing to ethereal and wistful music for the spheres. The tunes take the listener on a voyage through some familiar landmarks into new and vast horizons. The interplay between everyone in this group shows a dynamic commitment to mutual support and an acute sensitivity to and respect of each others’ musical personality and position. Although the compositions and improvisations can become quite dense and complex at times, it always feels like there’s “air” in the music and room for everyone to breathe.
In his sound, playing and writing, Jérémie blends the influence of those who’ve inspired him with all the enthusiasm and imagination of his own unique vision. In his strong-core tenor sound, one can hear shades of all the masters from Dexter, Coltrane, Wayne and Joe Henderson to Harold Vick and George Coleman (and down the line...) coupled seamlessly with his modern sensibilities and spirit of adventure in rhythm and melody. Jérémie plays with a clean attack and articulation and displays a wonderful and effective usage of dynamics. He has a steady, supported and broad saxophone sound, amazing facility throughout the entire range of the instrument andmanages to achieve an over-arching intensity without ever sacrificing pitch or tone. As an improviser, Jérémie is harmonically advanced, melodically surprising and shows a refreshing and mature capacity for patience and space. There is a directness to his lines that is engaging and believable and there remains a cohesive logic to his ideas as he pivots from an abstract and fractalized approach one moment to a soaring and soulful one the next.
The tracks on this record progress with a pleasing and eclectic flow. Weaving and wandering melodies unfold in a hypnotic and mesmerizing way with harmonic and rhythmic energies often evolving to dramatic and peaceful places simultaneously. The compositions are sometimes simple and singable, other times angularly intervallic but always tuneful with an almost pop-like accessibility. Throughout this twelve song journey, Jérémie Lucchese’s group plays with sophistication and a humane proportion, delivering masterful performances that are full of deep, genuine emotion and crystalline intellect.
—Chris Cheek
