Orchestre National de Jazz & Olivier Benoit - Europa: Berlin (2015) [Official Digital Download]

After Paris, Olivier Benoit turned to an exploration of Berlin for the second chapter of Europa. Paying even more heed to its architecture, this time the composer centred his efforts on history and memory of the city with a population that was young, creative and cosmopolitan. Declined in dense compositions with lyrical imprints, this shimmering portrait questions the various manners in which the Germans have confronted their recent past. Olivier Benoit captured the heterogeneous spirit of the city with contrasted music that makes brilliant use of all the orchestra’s resources. Faithful to his singular compositional methods associating the dynamics of timbres with a true “feel” for architecture in motion and a hypnotic rhythmical pulse, with Europa Berlin the composer opened up new perspectives in both sound and form, and which drew on the different musical currents that “inhabit” the German capital: minimalist music, free jazz, progressive rock and electronic music.

Tracklist:

01. L'effacement des traces (Intro)
02. L'effacement des traces
03. Métonymie (Intro)
04. Métonymie
05. Révolution (Intro, Pt. 1)
06. Révolution (Intro, Pt. 2)
07. Révolution
08. Réécriture
09. Oblitération
10. 22m 5st
11. Persistance de l'oubli (Intro)
12. Persistance de l'oubli, Pt. 1
13. Persistance de l'oubli, Pt. 2
14. Détournement

Personnel:

Olivier Benoit, guitar, direction
Bruno Chevillon, double bass
Jean Dousteyssier, clarinet
Alexandra Grimal, tenor saxophone
Hugues Mayot, alto saxophone
Fidel Fourneyron, trombone
Fabrice Martinez, trumpet
Théo Ceccaldi, violin
Sophie Agnel, piano
Paul Brousseau, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, effects
Eric Echampard, drums



All thanks go to the original releaser