Daunik Lazro - Recent Releases Old and New (3/3)

Today is the third and final installment of an overview of French saxophonist Daunik Lazro's recent archival releases. See part one and part two. 

Daunik Lazro, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Tristan Honsinger - True & Whole Tones in Rhythms (Fou Records, 2024)  

By Stef Gijssels

Ever since listening to "Pourtant Les Cimes" with Benjamin Duboc and Didier Lasserre, I've been a great fan of the French saxophonist's art, later confirmed by an equally 5-star rated "Hasparren", a duo album with Joëlle Léandre on bass, and his collaborations with Joe McPhee. 

The music on this album was recorded live at Dunois Theater, in May 1982, then still located at Rue Dunois 28 in Paris. The organisation moved to another place in the 90s but kept its name. 

The album comes with a short text by French surrealist and avant-garde artist Antonin Artaud, taken from the preface of his essay "Le théâtre et son double" (1938): 

"Aussi bien, quand nous prononçons le mot de vie, faut-il entendre qu’il ne s’agit pas de la vie reconnue par le dehors des faits, mais de cette sorte de fragile et remuant foyer auquel ne touchent pas les formes. Et s’il est encore quelque chose d’infernal et de véritablement maudit dans ce temps, c’est de s’attarder artistiquement sur des formes, au lieu d’être comme des suppliciés que l’on brûle et qui font des signes sur leurs bûchers" 

And in translation: 

"Furthermore, when we speak the word “life,” it must be understood we are not referring to life as we know it from its surface of fact, but to that fragile, fluctuating center which forms never reach. And if there is still one hellish, truly accursed thing in our time, it is our artistic dallying with forms, instead of being like victims burnt at the stake, signaling through the flames". (Translated by Caroline Richards, 1958)

 Indeed, a quite brutal vision, which is also Artaud's view on art, further exemplified by his Theater of Cruelty, where he wants to do away with a clear plot, and just provide a sequence of "violent physical images", which would "crush and hypnotize the sensibility of the spectator". 

This harsh description is only partly to be found on this album. The form is free indeed in the two long pieces, there is no clear structure or form to guide the interaction between all three players. Yet, the cruelty is luckily absent but without diminishing the power and intensity of the improvisers' skills. On both pieces they take ample time to expand, to explore, to change tone and atmosphere, smartly including some existing themes from all three musicians. "Ever Never" from Honsingers' "Lavoro" (1981), "Pat." by Lazro on the first piece, and on the second "Cordered" (1980) by Lazro and Avenel's "Canoë", later to become the opening track of his album "Eclaircie" (1985).

All three are in great shape: Lazro's piercing alto gives vent to his deepest emotions and ideas, Honsinger's cello and vocals move between the brutal and the tender, and Avenel adds depth and glue to the entire performance - but also listen to the latter's fun solo on the second track, sharing some of his African musical influences. The quality of the recording is excellent, giving the impression of being present. Despite is complete free form, the whole performance is quite intimate and personal. 

It is about "life" - brutal, hard, but also playful and intimate. Luckily none of the "violent physical images" were needed to make this an enjoyable album.