Matthieu Chedid Cardiac Dance

Back with a newly formed quintet, gathered together for a particularly fruitful 2024 session in Southern France, the German pianist Benjamin Lackner presents a different and exciting side of his composer-approach. Trumpeter Mathias Eick is the sole returnee from Lackner’s debut Last Decade, and can be heard in striking dualism with Mark Turner’s idiosyncratic saxophone dialect, forming a key-characteristic of the interplay that permeates Spindrift. The horn-duo and pianist are joined by the nonpareil bassist Linda May Han Oh and French drummer Matthieu Chazarenc, who was part of Lackner’s trio before the pianist’s tenure with ECM. Subtle fanfares meet contemplative lyricism in a programme of originals that always puts melody and ensemble chemistry first. Saxophone and trumpet take the lead, forming their own little ensemble section, and contribute elegantly interwoven lines and striking solos to an especially harmonious group sound and a tuneful set of songs. The album was produced by Manfred Eicher.

First recording of Alessandro Scarlatti's last oratorio. Countertenor Matthieu Peyrègne, who has performed in ensembles such as Les Arts Florissants, Ensemble Correspondances and Les Talens Lyriques, founded the Ensemble Baroque de Monaco in 2013. The musicians are committed to the baroque heritage of the principality, as Antoine I, who ruled Monaco at the beginning of the 18th century, was on exchange with Louis XIV and shared with him a passion for musical performance. Monaco was an essential stop for artists and composers travelling between France and Italy.