André
Hodeir –
Anna
Livia Plurabelle
Vinyl LP, 1966
Phillips
An jazz opera? A conceptual jazz
recording? It's André Hodeir which means something unique, a tad
strange, and beautifully played. Hodeir was a jazz composer, jazz
theorist, film composer and conductor. Almost border-line
avant-garde but with strong be-bop roots. In many ways he's the Gil
Evans of France. Also a pal of Boris Vian and other American jazz
players as well as working with the leading French jazz musicians of
his time. So in my book that makes him an exceptional fellow.
Here he's working with the French
greats including the dynamic vocalist Nicole Croisille, with words by
James Joyce, this is a textural jazz big band piece. Which sounds
like its forced on paper is actually an incredible listening
experience. I smell a whiff of genius whenever I hear the name of André Hodeir.
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