Jul J'suis Loin

French saxophonist Sophie Alour's Opus 3 is not only her third album as a leader, it is also her first in a trio setting. The recipient of the French Django D'or award, Alour departs from the electric intensity of her previous release, Uncaged (Nocturne, 2007), to explore her voice as an instrumentalist. The 11 originals are tone poems bearing heavy western classical influences, with occasional peppering of other styles that showcase the leader on both tenor and soprano saxophones.

Tigran Hamasyan was born in Gyumri, Armenia, in 1987. Ely the age of 7 he was listening to jazz melodies and improvising on piano all day long. He began to study the art of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Miles Davis and others, comprehending everything so fast and so deeply that he soon reached a high technique and unique jazz thinking. The First International Jazz Festival of Yerevan (held in 1998) opened a new stage in his creative life; the jazz community looked at him as a real discovery and he received invitations to play concerts and sessions. At the 2000 Festival, he became acquainted with jazz stars Chick Corea, Avishai Cohen, Jeff Ballard and An Roland; the following year he took part several festivals in France, where he played with Philip and Christophe Le Van and was introduced to Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin. Joe Zawinul, Danillo Perez and John Patitucci.

Bassist Eddie Gomez and pianist Cesarius Alvim met through the late Bill Evans while Gomez was still playing in his trio. A decade after Evans' death in 1980, they made their first album together, though it would be 20 years before they reunited for this impressive duo session. With minimal discussion of prospective songs, they work magic together in the studio, playing a mix of standards, obscurities, and originals. Gomez sometimes sings softly along with his bass (as he would do at times in Evans' group), while the less well-known Alvim proves himself to be a sensitive accompanist and lyrical soloist. Their spacious treatment of "Spring Is Here" brings out its bittersweet nature while taking this favorite into new territory.

Les grands mythes de l'Antiquité grecque mis en scène dans plusieurs chants qui dessinent une épopée contemporaine, entre érudition et humour. …