I wrote “The New Leaf” and “Yes I Do” with Claudine in mind, hoping to move into musical areas that were new to us. Both tunes are organic in that one idea moves naturally to the next, thus hopefully leading to a kind of freedom and sensitivity in the improvisations. Claudine and I have been playing together off and on for nearly thirty years and each time new ideas present themselves. For me, the music is always fresh. Her talents - the way she expresses musical feelings -are impressive indeed. It is a distinct and pleasurable challenge to find ways of blending what I think of as my New York jazz sensibility with Claudine’s beautiful classical, jazz and African influences. We hope we have made a recording that allowed freedom in our playing while being musically accessible.
Dan Rose
I composed “Le Désért” many years ago. When I started going to Africa I only visited the northern area where the Sahara is rich with many unique species – animal and vegetal – and surprisingly strong contrasts in landscapes and temperatures. “Mr. Slaint” is a tribute to the late Steve Lacy, whom I had seen in live performances since the 1970s. Among other things, Steve was very close to Monk’s music as well as to the Monk himself. One day I asked him if he could answer a few questions about Monk’s music. Not only did he spend a whole afternoon analyzing tunes on his Swedish piano with red “black” keys, but when I proposed to pay for his time, he answered, with a big smile, “Information is free.” Steve had a “slaint” position when he played the soprano saxophone and also an awkward stance whenever he played a percussion instrument or danced. I met Dan over thirty years ago when he lived in France after he’d recorded his album, Conversations, with Steve Swallow and John Betsch. We started to practice together and found that we had a relaxed and family feeling in the music we made. We developed a sound and a repertoire and went on the road to perform in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France. We’ve stayed in touch all these years, even when Dan went back to New York, and with great pleasure came to record this special album.
Claudine Francois
Once again, I feel most fortunate to be able to work with Dan Rose on a recording project. His consummate artistry and superb taste are perfectly served in this set of intimate duets with yet another remarkable musician, pianist Claudine Francois. They work delicate and tasteful wonders on bold, new originals and pointedly chosen covers, and demonstrate how true communication and a fine sense of listening can create timeless expression. I humbly thank the two of them.
Donald Elfman
1. The New Leaf (Dan Rose) 4:56
2. Monk’s Dream (Thelonious Monk) 5:10
3. Ladies In Mercedes (Steve Swallow) 4:44
4. Le Désert (Claudine François) 5:36
5. Señor Blues (Horace Silver) 4:39
6. Lawns (Carla Bley) 5:46
7. Yes I Do (Dan Rose) 5:24
8. Mr. Slaint (Claudine François) 4:44
9. The Seagulls Of Kristiansund (Mal Waldron) 6:00
Dan Rose, guitar
Claudine Francois, piano
