The allegiances of this experienced and competent quartet are clearly flagged up in these impressive, broadly 60s-style late swing / mainstream recordings. Dany Doriz honours Lionel Hampton, Michel Pastre looks up to Illinois Jacquet, César Pastre to Wild Bill Davis and Didier Dorise admires Sam Woodyard. It’s a family affair, with seasoned veterans Doriz and Pastre well backed by their respective sons, Didier and César.
For over 50 years Dany Doniz has been involved as art director with the famous Parisian club, Caveau de la Huchette. Besides befriending and playing alongside Hampton, Dany has recorded over the years with numerous noted American jazzmen, including Scott Hamilton, Illinois Jacquet, Bob Wilber and Wild Bill Davis, besides the Claude Bolling and his own big bands.
Michel Pastre, also highly respected, has similar experience working alongside star American guests, including Warren Vaché, Clark Terry, Ken Peplowski and Al Casey. His warm, supple tenor complements the nimble, crystalline ring of Doriz’s vibes with pleasing tonal contrast, and the surging drive and dynamics of César’s Hammond organ backing gives the group a very full sound.
The repertoire is agreeably varied, and the arrangements effectively planned and sensible in length. Solos are of a consistently high standard. Pastre delivers a lovely tenor solo feature in his own composition, Sweet Panther, whilst Doniz rivals Hampton himself in an excellent version of Nuages. César successfully establishes a deep blues feel in After Hours, and helps drive along a spirited up-beat version of Jacquet’s Bottoms Up. Didier’s drums swing crisply throughout, and he copes well with his feature in an extremely fast Whirly Bird. A fine, two-tempo arrangement of Body And Soul rounds off this skilled and spirited recreation of small-group mainstream. Highly recommended. Sleeve notes mainly in French.
Discography
The Chase; Stolen Sweets; Vibes Boogie/Gaby’s Gabbin’; Bottoms Up; Sweet Panther; Robbin’s Nest; Isn’t She Lovely; Whirly Bird; Nuages; Tempo’s Birthday; Fanfreluche; Seven Come Eleven; After Hours; Toute La Pluie Tombe Sur Moi (Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head); Body And Soul (69.33)
Dany Doriz (vib); Michel Pastre (ts); César Pastre (org); Didier Dorise (d). Paris, 2022.
Frémeaux & Associés FA8598
