Henri Texier

[Guest che]

Hi.

I am going to see Henri in concert in two weeks time, I have heard about him and I have the album 'Mad Nomads. , in which his son Sebastien plays on Sax.

Anyone familier with his bass playing?

Che.

[A Lark Ascending]

Superb player as is his son, Andy.

Chase down 'Mosaic Man' by his Azure Quintet or the two CDs he did with Louis Sclavis and Aldo Romano.

Muscular, energetic yet also melodic.

I believe in this tour he's with his new Sextet and a trio both with his son. Two good recent recordings from those units too.

Sadly he's playing Nottingham on a night I've got a parents' consultation evening. Bloody inconsiderate of them (the parents' that is!).

Edited March 2, 2005 by Bev Stapleton

[Guest che]

Superb player as is his son.

Chase down 'Mosaic Man' by his Azure Quintet or the two CDs he did with Louis Sclavis and Aldo Romano.

Muscular, energetic yet also melodic.

Sadly he's playing Nottingham on a night I've got a parents' consultation evening. Bloody inconsiderate of them (the parents' that is!).

Hi Bev.

Pity I think you would perhaps enjoy him

He will be in Manchester in two weeks and I look forward to seeing him, I have heard some good reviews. As you suggest his son appears to be highly rated, and the combination of the two seems impressive.

Che.

[Guest che]

Superb player as is his son, Andy.

Chase down 'Mosaic Man' by his Azure Quintet or the two CDs he did with Louis Sclavis and Aldo Romano.

Muscular, energetic yet also melodic.

I believe in this tour he's with his new Sextet and a trio both with his son. Two good recent recordings from those units too.

Sadly he's playing Nottingham on a night I've got a parents' consultation evening. Bloody inconsiderate of them (the parents' that is!).

Yep he is with his son.

Have you seen him live?

Che.

[A Lark Ascending]

I havn't.

But I noticed today that the Birmingham concert is the first day of the Easter holidays so I've booked to see him then.

Would be a pity to miss a rare visit by a player who has become a real favourite of mine on CD.

Sebastien Texier is more than just a famous son. I find him a really absorbing player.

[John B]

or the two CDs he did with Louis Sclavis and Aldo Romano.

I highly recommend this disc on Label Bleu. Very, very good.

[A Lark Ascending]

And this is the other one:

[John B]

for some reason releases on Label Bleu have been very difficult to track down over here of late. One of these days I'll pick up a copy of the second disc.

[Guest che]

Thanks for the information and the recomendations, I have ordered these albums today.

Che.

[A Lark Ascending]

I actually think 'Le Querrec' from (1995) is the stronger of the two. Not that there is much in it. I just play it more often!

Label Bleu is one of those labels I keep my eye on. Always interesting.

[LWayne]

I agree with Bev, Henri Texier is a tremendous talent. Wish he would come over to the USA with his sextet sometime.

Two of his last CDs "Strings Spirit" and the new "Vivre" are quite enjoyable.

LWayne

[brownie]

I actually think 'Le Querrec' from (1995) is the stronger of the two. Not that there is much in it. I just play it more often!

Label Bleu is one of those labels I keep my eye on. Always interesting.

Bev, the title of that album is 'Carnet de Routes' not Le Querrec.

Le Querrec is that great photographer Guy Le Querrec who was the official fourth member of the group during its travels thru Africa. He was playing with his cameras. Did another great job of his!

[A Lark Ascending]

Yes, I was enjoying 'Vivre' in the car today. My only reservation with it is the shortness of some of the tracks. The opener is a real stormer - 13 minutes or so of real energy with fabulous playing all round. I could have done with more of that.

I really like 'Strings Spirit' - a very different feel to the other albums. I like the way the srings are not made to gush like so often on strings backed recordings.

I still think this one is an absolute pearler:

Some very beautiful tunes, that unforced slightly African feel to some pieces and the wonderful Bojan Zulfikarpasic throwing in his unique way with piano improvising - very eastern European.

This is another beauty - I suspect this will be the trio in the concerts:

[Guest che]

Well it seems I have a great deal to look forward to

Che.

[A Lark Ascending]

I actually think 'Le Querrec' from (1995) is the stronger of the two. Not that there is much in it. I just play it more often!

Label Bleu is one of those labels I keep my eye on. Always interesting.

Bev, the title of that album is 'Carnet de Routes' not Le Querrec.

Le Querrec is that great photographer Guy Le Querrec who was the official fourth member of the group during its travels thru Africa. He was playing with his cameras. Did another great job of his!

I can never work out the title.

Both CDs carry the words 'carnet de routes'. Where the 1999 disc has Suite Africaine, the 1995 has Le Querrec. Both, as you point out, list the photographer alongside the trio. The thick booklets of photos that come with the CDs are an added bonus.

Maybe 'Carnet de routes' was the title of disc 1 and they decided to use it as a name for this particular trio, thus explaining its reappearance on disc 2.

Whatever the names the music is absolutely stunning.

I came across the group on a BBC broadcast in the mid-90s. It kept me company on a long drive from London and I got the first CD soon afterwards.

[Clunky]

And this is the other one:

I enjoy this one and Mosaic man, the new one sound promising too.

[king ubu]

I would guess that not Tony Rabeson but rather Christophe Marguet will be on drums.

I enjoy Texier wherever I meet his music and playing. The trio disc with his son S. Texier and Rabeson is the only studio release I have of his, so far, but he appears on radio broadcasts again and again.

His most recent outfits are called "Azur [Quartet/Quintet/Sextet]" - depending on the number of disposable sidemen. These include his son, Sébastien (a sure bet), trombonist Georgeui (sp?) Kornazov, guitar player Manu Codjia, and Christophe Marguet. Not sure who the sixth man would/could be, but he mentioned the varying size/name of the band in a France musique programme (Mardi Idéal, February 15). The quintet line up (with the musicians mentioned) is great, btw!

ubu

[king ubu]

Texier on Label Bleu

Btw: the new disc is called "(V)ivre" - that's a wordgame and a dedication to Rimbaud (le bateau ivre...). "Strada" of course is reminiscent of that old Italian film...

ubu

Edited March 10, 2005 by king ubu

[A Lark Ascending]

Anyone heard this soundtrack recording also released recently?:

[king ubu]

Anyone heard this soundtrack recording also released recently?:

No, but Texier was in the studio of France Musiques (radio station) for a recent "Mardi Idéal" broadcast, and he talked some about it. Seems the music again is pretty independent (and thus should work on CD as well as the trio disc "Remparts..." you mentioned above).

[A Lark Ascending]

Thanks, King Ubu.

[Guest che]

After all these great posts I can't wait to see him in concernt next week.

Che.