There is no other reunion in the annals of straight-ahead
jazz
like the one by French-born siblings
Francois
(upright bass) and
Louis Moutin
(drums); the two are identical twins who earned Ph.D.s in physics and math, respectively, before building incredible individual
resumes. While collectively they have performed around the world with scores of top names, French and otherwise, the twins find a special, hard-swinging magic with this quartet, which was formed in 1998.
Something Like Now
is their third CD for
Nocturne
, but first to secure major distribution in the U.S. No doubt those marketing the group will draw upon saxman
Rick Margitza
's association with
Miles Davis
, but it's the saxman's brisk playing above the clever rhythmic beds of the Moutins that truly sells the product.
Louis
wrote the melodic and upfront bubbly one-two punch of
"Something Like Now, Pts. 1 & 2,"
which introduces listeners to the intensely percussive leanings of the quartet. The brothers have a ball, jumping and swaying without
Margitza
on the
Charlie Parker
tune
"Bird's Medley,"
then get aggressive again behind the frenetic piano chordings of
Pierre de Bethmann
on
"Take It Easy."
The mournful, bluesy
ballad
"Surrendering"
and more experimental
"Echoing"
wind things down a bit too far in the midst of all this action, but show the group's more sensitive side. The
the Moutin brothers are referring to must be the new ways they make the classic influences of
bebop
fresh for a new generation. ~ Jonathan Widran