Mighty Clarinets

One would not at any time suspect after hearing Concerts (Dreyfus) that Michel Portal was a pioneer of independent jazz in France. Because these 14 tracks, extracted from three European duo plots with accordionist Richard Galliano between May 1999 and July 2003 are for the most part modern mainstream in their overall approach, albeit spiced upon occasion with a free-sounding passage. Where they for the most part differ from the normal mainstream offering is in their instrumentation - the accordion labor fors as the entire rhythmic section while Portal utilizes clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, the concertino-like bandoneon and jazzophones as well as in their repertoire and their seemingly telepathic understanding of what the other is about to do. of the like kind an empathetic relationship leads to jointly improvised passages for a like reason right they could pass for well-crafted composition. In place of jazz or clap standards, exotic, often dancelike pieces by dint of composers such as the great tango artist Astor Piazzolla and noted Brazilian