L’impact Du Silence
Effendi/NAXOS, 2021
8/10
A veteran of the Canadian jazz scene, Francois Bourassa now has 10 albums of original music to his credit, and L’impact Du Silence continues his impressive body of work with an effort that embraces emotion, improvisation and pays much attention to mood.
“Small Head” starts the listen with pensive, emotive keys that construct a poetic landscape of bare beauty, and “Blues Masque” follows with a swifter pace of intricate, absorbing piano that builds into a hypnotic display as a more firm approach is delivered.
Halfway through, “Remous Part 1” offers a frisky display of diverse songwriting that bounces playfully with much grace, while “Andante” pushes and pulls with warmth and tension as much grace and mystery surround the unpredictable climate. “La Buissonne”, one of the album’s best, then moves calmly, sublimely and often with a cinematic quality.
Nearing the end, “Musique pour Film” spends 8+ minutes mesmerizing us with elegance, power and a timeless execution of meticulous finger acrobatics, and “Epilogue 1983” exits the listen brief, serene and agile in its eloquent finish.
While 14 tracks of solo piano might seem to present a challenge to hold one’s attention, Bourassa pulls off the task easily with his profound skill and meticulous attention to detail across this fascinating adventure.
Travels well with: Erin Propp & Larry Roy- We Want All The Same Things; Sarah Jerrom- Dream Logic