Chronicles of album "Laison accoustique"
"Liaison Accoustique" album by François Couture
"Thierry Maucci has a fat, rich sound on tenor and baritone sax, with a tone a bit more piercing and urgent on the alto. The listener gets a chance to study all of his tricks on this 50-minute solo album. Liaison Acoustique was recorded in the studio in one day by an engineer too fond of digital reverb. If they wanted listeners to believe it was recorded in a church, they might as well have recorded in a church. Instead, the echo feels tacked on and Maucci ignores its presence instead of incorporating it into his playing. That production quirk aside, the saxophonist delivers a passionate free jazz performance. Influenced by the extended techniques of Evan Parker and the lyricism of Louis Sclavis, Maucci's solos focus on emotion instead of power, which does not mean that the music gets syrupy or weak. In "Encore Accords" he explores the extremes of the tenor sax's upper register, shredding notes and ears. In "Sons 2" he comes close to Ivo Perelman's fire mediated by a European temper (a painting by Perelman graces the album cover, by the way). Not the stuff legends are made of, Liaison Acoustique remains a satisfying album.".
François Couture
"Liaison Accoustique" album by Nick Lea
"This is a superb album of solo saxophone improvisations from French saxophonist, Thierry Maucci, and is a fine introduction for anyone new to the genre. Each piece is finely sculpted and developed, with Maucci having an individual approach and voice on each of his chosen horns.
Two tracks feature Thierry’s alto and on the first of these, ‘Liaison Acoustique’ his playing is fixed firmly within the horn’s natural range and relies on timbre and the continuity of the melodic line to great effect, as does ‘La Phrase En Rond’, the albums sole track for the baritone, and a lyrical delight. The other alto feature, ‘La Fin-Fine’, continues the feel and mood of ‘Liaison’ establishing a melodic thread, only this time examining every nuance and rhythmic phrase before moving on to the next.
The remaining six titles are for solo tenor saxophone, with the albums opening cut ‘Cert-Volant’ a wonderfully conceived and developed rhythmic motif that the saxophonist repeats, worries and explores over the two minute duration of the improvisation.
In his sleeve-notes the Frenchman mentions the influence of Evan Parker, and his indebtedness to his English counterpart becomes apparent in the tenor solos that complete the rest of the set; and by exploring the extreme registers of the tenor and use of multiphonics on ‘Encore Encords’ and ‘Sons 2’ prepares for the albums tour de force ‘Courage-Carnage’.
Perversely this final track is not only the longest at just over the thirteen minute mark (and nearly five minutes longer than any of the other titles), it is also the earliest of the improvisations, recorded nearly six years prior to the other tracks. It is also perhaps the most demanding listen, but again balances spontaneity, extremes of pitch and an inner logic, and is a fitting climax to this wonderful set."
