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John Hébert: Floodgates

By Mark Corroto
December 12, 2013
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Finding three musicians that speak the same language—jazz—is not uncommon. However, finding three that are as compatible as bassist

John Hébert

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">John Hébert, pianist

Benoit Delbecq

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Benoit Delbecq, and drummer

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Cleaver is, as the French say, recherché.

French culture is the theme of Hébert's trio recording. The New Orleans born, Cajun bassist invited the Paris-based pianist and Detroit's Cleaver (a city founded by French officer Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac) to record the follow-up to their inaugural release Spiritual Lover (Clean Feed, 2010). Floodstage continues their conversation, one delivered with distinctive enunciations.

Hébert, who can be heard as a sideman to a who's who of players including

Mary Halvorson

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Mary Halvorson,

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch,

Uri Caine

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Uri Caine, came into his own as a member of

Andrew Hill

piano
1931 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Hill's final ensemble. He collaborates in the trio Body Of Three with

Taylor Ho Bynum

cornet
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Taylor Ho Bynum and Gerald Cleaver. Like Hébert, the drummer can be heard in multiple bands, including those of

Ivo Perelman

saxophone, tenor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Ivo Perelman,

Tomasz Stańko

trumpet
1942 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Tomasz Stańko, Elery Eskelin, and

Craig Taborn

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Taborn's Trio. The conservatory- trained Delbecq can often be heard with clarinetist Fran?ois Houle in a jazz setting. He has a strong connection to classical music, African-American jazz, and experimental musics.

"Cold Brew" opens the disc with a hauntingly painted moodiness that is eerily bolstered by electronic pulses that sound as if they were sampled from a 1970s sci-fi B-movie. Hébert's compositions, like "Tan Hands," are sketches for obliging,

Keith Jarrett

piano
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Jarrett Trio-like music making and the bassist's sound here could easily be confused with that of

Gary Peacock

bass, acoustic
1935 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Peacock. But where Jarrett might zig, Hébert zags. "Holy Trinity" layers a heaviness of pulse over the mathematical structure of the melody— creating an understated blues feel. Choosing Delbecq, a classically- trained player with an ear for world music,

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk, and early-fusion jazz, and Cleaver, perhaps the most expressive drummer working today, the idea of a jazz trio is refocused as a mischievous chamber ensemble.

Delbecq's clavinet heard on solo on "Saints" and in trio on "Sinners," sounds like a xylophone. The latter piece is a circular exercise that incorporates African music into the African-American traditions of New Orleans. The same goes for the traditional song "Just A Closer Walk With Thee," played as a straight church blues, and the rumble-rolling of "On The Half Shell" that pairs

Joe Zawinul

keyboards
1932 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Zawinul-sounding synthesizers with piano, thunderous bass and talking drum.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Cold Brewed; Floodstage; Tan Hands; Red House In NOLA; Holy Trinity; Morning Mama; Just A Closer Walk With Thee; Loire Valley; Saints; Sinners; On The Half Shell.

Personnel

John Hébert

bass

John Hébert: double bass; Beno?t Delbecq: piano, analog synthesizer, electronics; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

Album information

Title: Floodgates | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Clean Feed Records

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