Machine Mass Sextet - Intrusion (February 2021 Off)

MACHINE MASS started out in 2011 as an idiosyncratic MoonJune power duo made of longtime collaborators American drummer Tony BIANCO (Elton Dean, Paul Dunmall, Evan Parker) and Belgian guitarist Michel DELVILLE (The Wrong Object, Vegir). Hailed as a « feisty and rebel rousing exhibition that contains a surfeit of diametric contrasts and smoldering exchange » (All About Jazz), it has since then morphed into various forms and ventures involving guests such as Dave LIEBMAN (Inti, 2014) and Univers Zero and Wrong Object keyboardist Antoine GUENET (Machine Mass Plays Hendrix ; 2017).

Intrusion, Machine Mass’s fourth official album in a decade of existence, is a full-blown sextet extravaganza comprising eight live-in-the-studio tracks (six originals and two covers) featuring Wrong Object bassist Damien CAMPION alongside two seminal members of the Belgian and international jazz scene: Laurent BLONDIAU (Mâäk's Spirit, Andy Emler MegaOctet, Octurn) and Manuel HERMIA (Slang, Orchestra Nazionale della Luna, Hermia-Ceccaldi-Darrifourcq Trio).

Three years after the psychedelic fireworks of their acclaimed Jimi Hendrix tribute (which Brazilian producer Arnaldo de Souteiro described as « probably the best tribute to Hendrix since the legendary 1974 Gil Evans album ») Machine Mass’s Intrusion offers a set of steaming acoustic jazz laced with moderate yet significant amounts of electric and electronic guitar sounds.

The album builds as much on modern-day jazz structures and rhythms as it harks back to the relentless ostinati and horizontal intricacies of modal jazz (the CD opens with John Coltrane’s « Africa » and closes with Joe Zawinul’s « In a Silent Way »).

1. Africa (Coltrane) 10:48

2. Intrusion (Guenet) 14:17

3. This Is (Bianco, Blondiau, Campion, Delville, Guenet, Hermia) 2:19

4. Not Another Loud Song (Delville) 9:01

5. Intro (Campion) 2:12

6. The Roll (Delville) 9:02

7. ED (Delville) 6:16

8. In a Silent Way (Zawinul) 11:14

Laurent Blondiau: trumpet

Manuel Hermia: saxophones

Michel Delville: guitar, Roland GR09

Antoine Guenet: piano

Damien Campion: double bass

Tony Bianco: drums

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Dominique Vantomme (feat. Tony Levin, Michel Delville) - Vegir (MOONJUNE RECORDS 2018)

Dominique Vantomme of VANTOMME, is a pianist, keyboardist, composer, band leader, music educator and producer, equally well known for his work with many European pop and rock acts as for being the jazz piano instructor at the Music Conservatory in Kortrijk, Belgium. This album was born from his nomadic adventures: traveling in 2016 to see Stick Men, in Holland, and meeting up with old pal, MoonJune's Leonardo Pavkovic; and shortly thereafter befriending the legendary bassist/stickist Tony Levin of the King Crimson, Peter Gabriel and Stick Men hall of fame. In the studio session which shortly followed, Dom and Tony were joined by veteran MoonJune artist, also from Belgium, Michel Delville (The Wrong Object; douBt; Machine Mass), who was recruited on guitar, and another Belgian musician, Maxime Lenssens, tasked with holding down the timekeeping duties. The spontaneity and freshness of this sizzling, high-altitude set reflects the equally unpretentious manner in which the session itself came together.

Tackling some decidedly hip musical sketches of  Dominique Vantomme, the band is given full artistic liberty – and with all participants in top form, the resulting music weaves and winds its way across paths previously untrodden ... in stunning fashion, and with sure footing! In the truest MoonJune tradition, "Vegir" thumbs its nose at convention and showcases these seasoned veteran musicians at the top of their game: with the skill set, bravery and chutzpah to follow their instincts and, in the process, allow the music to seek out and ultimately capture its own form. It slinks; it growls; it stalks; it devours! It grooves; it stutters; it holds you in suspense, then explodes! (... think 'juggling chainsaws' in the sonic realm.

1. Double Down 07:36

2. Equal Minds 10:19

3. Sizzurp 10:45

4. Playing Chess With Barney Rubble 09:04

5. The Self Licking Ice-cream Cone 13:08

6. Plutocracy 04:38

7. Agent Orange 09:46

8. Emmetropia 09:00

9. Odin's Wig 01:54

DOMINIQUE VANTOMME: Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Piano, Mini Moog, Mellotron

MICHEL DELVILLE: Electric Guitar

TONY LEVIN: Bass Guitar, Chapman Stick

MAXIME LENSSENS: Drums

Produced by DOMINIQUE VANTOMME

Recorded by Pascal Deweze at Studio Jezuz, Hoboken, Belgium, October 29th 2016

Mixing by Fritz Sunderman

Mastering by Mark Wingfield

Photos by Perry Schrijvers

Artwork by Marcel van der Heyden

Dominique Vantomme first studied classical piano, then switched to jazz at the age of 20. He took lessons from pianists Mike Del Ferro and Marc Matthys at the Royal Music Conservatory in Ghent and attended workshops given by Mark Levine and Rob Madna. 

In 1996, he attended another workshop with Andy Laverne and David Baker at the University of Louisville, Kentucky (USA). 

From '96 to '98 he had electric jazz bands 'Fuzzlite' and 'Jazziz' together with one of his best friends and musicians Tom Mahieu. In 98, he studied in New York with US pianist Kenny Werner. In 99, he received a Prize at the Europ' Jazz Contest in Hoeilaart (B) and was laureate of the Torneo Internationale Musicale (Jazz) Rome. 

Dominique Vantomme leads his own bands and works as a freelance pianist and keyboard player for various bands, including work in recording studios for jazz and folk/world. He has played with Toots Thielemans (B), Judy Niemack (USA), Theresa Malenfant (Can), Laurent Maur (Fr), George Kilby Jr. (USA), Aidan Burk (Irl), David Ray Hadley (USA), Jakob Rostoll (Dan), Louisiana Red (USA), Hans Van Oost (B), Rietta Austin (NZ), John O'Leary (UK), Daithi Rua (Irl), Pascal Schumacher (Lux), Rufus Stone (UK), Jules Fothergill (UK), Coco Jr. (B), Laïs (B), Cosmo St.-Clair (USA), Plane Vanilla (B), Boo Boo Davis (USA), Ana Popovic (Yo), Junior Jazz (B), Roland Van Campenhout (B), Viktor Lazlo (B), An Pierlé (B), PJDS (B), Ronny Mosuse (B), etc.