Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Fran?ois Carrier/ Michel Lambert/ John Edwards/ Steve Be...

Fran?ois Carrier/ Michel Lambert/ John Edwards/ Steve Beresford: Overground To The Vortex

By Mark Corroto
June 15, 2013
View read count

François Carrier/ Michel Lambert/ John Edwards/ Steve Beresford: Overground To The Vortex

The adventures of François Carrier continue with Overground To The Vortex. The well-traveled Canadian saxophonist has recorded in Nepal—KATHMANDU (FMR, 2008), St. Petersburg, Russia with All Out (FMR, 2011) and In Motion (Leo, 2011), of course Canada Entrance 3 (Ayler, 2011), and this release in Great Britain, where he made his Shores and Ditches (FMR Records,2012).

His improvisational voice lends itself to collaborating with others, as he is an astute listener and a master of teamwork. He has recorded with

Uri Caine

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Uri Caine,

Bobo Stenson

piano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobo Stenson,

Paul Bley

piano
1932 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Bley,

Gary Peacock

bass, acoustic
1935 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Peacock, and

Dewey Redman

saxophone, tenor
b.1931

" data-original-title="" title="">Dewey Redman. His most frequent partner, drummer

Michel Lambert

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Michel Lambert joins him on this live recording at the Vortex Club in London in December 2011. Carrier and Lambert, here with local legends, pianist

Steve Beresford

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Beresford on two tracks, and bassist

John Edwards

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">John Edwards on all four tracks.

His saxophone voice tends toward an undisguised improvisational swirl that billows notes be they rapid fire squawks, tranquil blown and overblown notes, or tension-built runs. With Edwards and Lambert on the first two tracks, the saxophone dances to the bowed bass, darting, flitting and hopping as Lambert turns the heat up, working the thermostat that is his kit. Carrier announces himself with an

Albert Ayler

saxophone, tenor
1936 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Albert Ayler-call on "Mile End" that draws lines through the jazz map from 1966 through

Joe McPhee

woodwinds
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe McPhee's work in the 1970s, to

Evan Parker

saxophone, soprano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Evan Parker.

With Beresford in the mix the situation fractures. The pianist, a contrarian by nature, often zigs when the others have zagged. His playing partners are ready and very willing to accommodate the ruckus. Edwards is an old hand at it, but Lambert and Carrier are also up for the varying directions and the improvised prescription. The two lengthy pieces fluctuate from loud to soft, tense to serene, but always transforming and reorganizing. The varying ebb and flow of this live date maintains charm until the end.

Learn more about our star rating system

Personnel

Fran?ois Carrier

saxophone, alto

Album information

Title: Overground To The Vortex | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: NotTwo Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Big Band Retrospective at The Allen ...
< Previous

Low Standards
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.