Description
For 20 years, Pierrick Pedron has been recognised by his peers and the media as one of the virtuosos of the alto saxophone and a beacon of the French jazz scene, attested by his multiple awards in 2021, including Artist of the Year, by Victoires du Jazz, Jazz Magazine, Jazz News, and other publications organizations. This collaboration with Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba was born out of a conversation between Pierrick Pedron and arranger Daniel Yvinec about long-term large ensemble projects that were in the early stages of planning, and that in the meantime, they should imagine an intimate saxophone/piano duo project.
To approach the pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba is to approach a legend. He is one of those immense jazz pianists whom nothing and nobody can resist. Inspired by both the Afro-Cuban and Western traditions, a gifted keyboardist and counterpoint player, he soon attracted international attention and began a fruitful collaboration with the legendary Blue Note label, with which he has recorded some fifteen albums.
The result is record composed of great moments of bravura where the lines fly over the written scores with obvious mastery, touching on romantic, contemporary, and sometimes even noisy music. In this "art of the duo" session, Pierrick and Gonzalo challenge each other, provoke each other, test each other, have fun surprising each other, and even try to outdo each other.
Pierrick Pedron: alto saxophone
Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano
Recorded live to two tracks, Oktaven Audio, New York, June 2022.
