The nine pieces on D'AGALA are dedicated to people who admired and influenced Courvoisier. The title tune is for pianist Geri Allen, "one of three dedicatees who passed away as this June 2017 recording was in preparation – the others being guitarist John Abercrombie and French politician, women’s rights advocate and Holocaust survivor Simone Veil. Two pieces are for sculptors, Martin Puryear who merges organic and geometric forms, and Louise Bourgeois. On “Bourgeois’s Spiders,” Courvoisier is all over the piano – plucking or strumming strings inside, or playing with one hand inside and one on the keys, or rattling around on the metal frame. Sometimes the band sounds like a trio of percussionists; they’re that rhythmically acute", writes Kevin Whitehead in the liner notes and adds: "Some pianists approach the instrument like it’s a cathedral. Sylvie Courvoisier sometimes treats it like a playground".
1. IMPRINT DOUBLE – for Antoine Courvoisier 7:40
2. BOURGEOIS'S SPIDER – for Louise Bourgeois 7:32
3. ÉCLATS FOR ORNETTE – for Ornette Coleman 4:14
4. SIMONE – for Simone Veil 4:01
5. PIERINO PORCOSPINO – for Charlie 4:19
6. D'AGALA – for Geri Allen 8:13
7. CIRCUMBENT – for Martin Puryear 3:54
8. FLY WHISK – for Irène Schweizer 7:53
9. SOUTH SIDE RULES – for John Abercrombie 6:23
Soundsamples of this CD
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Kenny Wollesen: Drums & Wollesonic
Drew Gress: Bass
All compositions by Sylvie Courvoiser (SUISA, ASCAP). Recorded June 22,2017, by Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio, Mont Vernon, NY.
Mixed September 25, 2017, by James Farber at Sear Sound Studio, New York City.
Asst. engineer and editing: Owen Mulholland. Mastered by Scott Hull.
Cover art: Mario Del Curto. Graphic design: Jonas Schoder. Liner notes: Kevin Whitehead.
Photos: Frank Schindelbeck. Executive production by Florian Keller.
Produced by Mark Feldman, Sylvie Courvoisier and Intakt Records, Patrik Landolt.
Intakt CD 300 / 2018
