Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jeremy Udden - Nicolas Moreaux: Belleville Project

Jeremy Udden - Nicolas Moreaux: Belleville Project

By Glenn Astarita
April 16, 2015
View read count

Jeremy Udden - Nicolas Moreaux: Belleville Project

While housesitting in France, nascent American jazz saxophonist Jeremy Udden unsuspectingly connected with French bassist Nicolas Moreaux via social media, seeking musicians interested in playing a session. And while Udden has previously blended rock, folk and other genres into his repertoire, the twosome shared a joint interest in amalgamating the jazz vernacular with other idioms. Indeed, the sextet expresses good karma along with splashes of French romanticism and notable inferences toward Americana. Moreover, the program is garnished with the musicians' integration of pump organ, banjo and toy piano into the jazz schematic.

Udden and saxophonist

Robert Stillman

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Robert Stillman chant many of the disparate themes in unison, often rendering convivial soundscapes and downhome goodness, but alter the game-plan by skirting the free jazz zone during "Belleville." Other movements assert a down-homey, organic brew amid wistful harmonic riffs, drifting themes and lush phrasings. At times they delve deep into introspective musings evidenced on the laidback "11," honed down by guitarist Pierre Perchaud's strolling gait and topped off by the saxophonists' windswept voyages. And there are some off-kilter and laconic patterns, such as Moreaux's lighthearted toy piano voicings on the brief, folksy piece "Albert's Place." This is followed by another sub two-minute work and album closer "Healing Process," which is an up-tempo jazz vamp, driven home by drummer Pete Rende's hammering beats.

In sum, Belleville Project equates to a delightful listening experience, incited by the musicians' cleverly articulated incorporation of roots-centric instrumentation. However, the album includes some passages and tracks that are rather nondescript and detract from the conceivable greatness that could have been achieved.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

MJH; Belleville; Jeremy; Nico; Epilogue; 11; Bibi; I��m 39; Albert��s Place; Healing Process.

Personnel

Jeremy Udden

woodwinds

Jeremy Udden: alto sax, pump organ, Prophet 5; Nicolas Moreaux: acoustic bass, toy piano; Robert Stillman: tenor sax, piano, pump organ; Pierre Perchaud: acoustic & electric guitar, banjo; RJ Miller: drums; Pete Rende: CS-60, Prophet 5, pump organ, organ.

Album information

Title: Belleville Project | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Turning Point
< Previous

From The Vine
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.