Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matthieu Saglio: Al Alba

Matthieu Saglio: Al Alba

By Thierry De Clemensat
April 9, 2025
View read count

European jazz is often deeply inspired by classical music and, on Al Alba, this influence is undeniable. In fact, this album is more a contemporary classical music album than a jazz record—unless one considers a few rhythmic flourishes. It is, therefore, best admired for the sheer beauty of its compositions, its interpretation, its arrangements and its vocal performances.

Alfred Deller was considered one of the greatest countertenors of all time. Since his passing in the early 1980s, he has inspired a new generation of artists who have modernized the style. This influence is evident in the voice of

Camille Saglio

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Camille Saglio, who now sings in an imaginary language, created spontaneously, shaping his own universe as he performs. With his countertenor voice, he transports the listener to soaring heights, improvising with a vocal trumpet-like sound. Yet, he also knows how to surprise, suddenly shifting to a song in English, Bambara, French or Spanish. His style is unmistakably his own.

Matthieu Saglio

cello

" data-original-title="" title="">Matthieu Saglio, for his part, reminds us of a chapter in European musical history—the era of royal and seigneurial courts, where musicians and composers were commissioned, fueling musical proliferation up until the French Revolution. Back then, compositions adhered to strict formal rules, whereas here, there is a deliberate embrace of world music influences, resulting in an album of absolute beauty. Camille interprets Arabic poetry ("Tariq"), as well as a well-known protest song ("Strange Fruit"), an iconic track by the French rock band Noir D��sir ("Le Vent Nous Portera"), and free-flowing melodies adorned with Spanish ornaments. On one track, their third brother,

Gabriel Saglio

clarinet

" data-original-title="" title="">Gabriel Saglio, joins them on the bass clarinet.

Looking more closely, this album is a synthesis of past and present, both in the themes it explores and the manner in which they are treated. It is their first duo album, infused with a spiritual dimension. It speaks of transitions and borders, of states of transformation and their impact on music and humanity. There is a Celtic-Breton touch, particularly in its affinity for the melancholic allure of minor tonalities. Flamenco is also present, lending both rhythmic rigor and a connection to the dreams and arabesques of the Mediterranean world. Matthieu Saglio's disciplined classical background grants him immense compositional freedom and an unparalleled delicacy of sound.

Camille, too, is a traveler between musical worlds. In 2003, he founded the group S?di in Toulouse, blending flute and percussion to explore world music and forge connections with the sounds of West Africa and the Middle East. He later joined the Manafina project, learning the guitar, ngoni and oud, and expressing himself in various languages, from Bambara to Arabic and Turkish. Beyond music, he has written short stories and plays, produced his own stage works such as Dis-leur que j'ai v��cu (2010), and collaborated with actors and dancers like Vincent Loiseau, Didier Bardoux and Herv�� Maigret.

The bass clarinet is what ties this work to jazz, along with a voice that at times transforms into a cry, sculpted like a work of art. This admirable album is one of the most dazzling and strange listening experiences we will have at our fingertips in 2025.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

El Alba; Con Toda Palabra; Derviche (Part I); Derviche (Part II); Ginkgo Biloba; Amelui; Strange Fruit; Miba; Iberian Ballad; Movement; Le Vent Nous Portera; Atman; Le Nuage; Tariq.

Personnel

Matthieu Saglio

cello

Camille Saglio

vocals

Gabriel Saglio

clarinet

Additional Instrumentation

Camille Saglio: shakers; Matthieu Saglio: palmas, vocals on #8, 10 & 14; Gabriel Saglio: bass clarinet on #9.

Album information

Title: Al Alba | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: ACT Music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Gerald Clayton plus music from Roxan...
< Previous

Peter Madsen, Immanuel Wilkins, and ...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.