MARTIN MAHEUX CIRCLE

MARTIN MAHEUX CIRCLE - SIBYLLE

Disk 1
1) Tergiversation . . . . . . 8:55
2) Mauvais cirque . . . . . . 5:07
3) Aller simple . . . . . . 15:02
4) Métamorphose . . . . . . 13:19
5) La danse des cadavres . . . . 7:43
6) Résignation . . . . . . 8:05

Martin Maheux' official website at:
home.carolina.rr.com/martinmaheux/

Line-up
- Martin Maheux: drums
- Ivanoe Jolicoeur: Trumpet
- Frédéric Grenier: double bass
- Éric St-jean: Piano
- Martine Gaumond: violin
- Sarah Ouellet: alto violin
- Jérémie Cloutier: cello
- Catherine Lesaunier: cello

format: Single CD • Unicorn Digital # UNCR-5026
release date: March 29, 2006

When I first listened to this excellent disk, I was a bit puzzled as to what category this would fall into... progressive? jazz? chamber music? Martin Maheux, best known as the drummer of famous Quebec prog band Spaced Out, has ventured into brave new territories with the album Sibylle. One could describe it as avant/jazz/classical, since the group of 8 musicians is basically a jazz quartet and a string quartet, joining forces to produce an unusual musical journey that combines jazz and classical in a very original, fluid manner.

The album begins with a very cool, very groovy, jazz sound on the track Tergiversation; mute trumpet and snappy piano improvisations, great rhythm and it concludes with a melancholic violin ending. Mauvais Cirque begins with the plucked strings of a violin, a dark string quartet number, leading to the track Aller Simple, which begins with a somber, theatrical, violin-based intro that makes place to slow-paced jazz that blends with a rhythmic violin theme, and ends with a jazzy drum solo à la Buddy Rich. Métamorphose is a melancholic, violin/trumpet number, picking up the pace and adding the flugelhorn to give a snappy, captivating track and ending with a quiet violin/trumpet conclusion. La Danse Des Cadavres has a rather somber title (Danse of the corpses) and is a solemn string quartet number, that leads to Résignation, an enthusiastic, cool track with Stéphane Grapelli-influenced violins and great piano and trumpet improvisations.

An exceptional gathering of talented musicians whose musical styles are not usualy associated together, the combination of the jazz quartet with the string quartet is highly original, resulting in a cool, fresh new sound that succesfully blends the best elements of jazz with the classical elegance of chamber music. Striking, imaginative, elaborate compositions from Martin. An album that will be truly enjoyed by classical, jazz and progressive enthusiasts equally.

My rating for Sibylle : 8.6/10(album reviewed by Robert Dansereau, 29/03/2006)