Christoph Gallio’s Stone Is A Rose Is A Stone Is A Stone: Yet Dish, Gertrude Stein
Let me begin by saying that with this album I’m completely out of my depth and wouldn’t know how to begin a review, let alone complete one. Let me continue by saying that no one is to blame for this situation apart from myself. The album was included on a bi-monthly list of new releases from which JJ contributors select titles they would like to review. Having noted the title I was intrigued; I grasped that the main thrust of the album was an attempt at setting the poems of Gertrude Stein to music, presumably jazz. I knew of Ms. Stein; indeed I have even visited the apartment she shared with brother Leo at 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris. I knew also that she was considered avant-garde as early as 1910, and that given I was not one of the six people (at the last count) in the world capable of understanding Finnegan’s Wake (the work by James Joyce, one of the regular attendees at the Saturday evening salons presided over by Ms Stein in the 1920s) I had little chance of finding the key to Ms. Stein.
I supposed I got hold of the idea that the album was some sort of throwback to the poetry and jazz movement that enjoyed a short shelf life in San Francisco [and London – MG] during the 1960s, when beat poets like Lawrence Ferlinghetti would recite their latest works, accompanied by small combos, in the small jazz clubs of the Bay Area. I was, however, soon disabused of this notion, and I think the best thing to do is try to describe what I think is happening. Musician Christoph Gallio, soprano and alto sax, is clearly a devotee of Ms. Stein, and has set some 69 of her short works. When I say that all 69 require a mere 36.24 minutes from beginning to end you will get some idea of their brevity – in fact, only two of the pieces exceed one minute with the shortest weighing in at 00.07 seconds.
I can only applaud Mr. Gallio’s attempt to compose anything remotely melodic under such a handicap. Vito Cadonau, double bass, and Flo Hufschmid, drums and percussion, are also credited, whilst Sonia Loenne is listed as “voice”. The selections are identified merely as numbers #1 – #69, in Latin, and were recorded over two days in 2024. As I said at the top of the piece, comprehension of this work is way above my pay grade, and again I applaud Mr Gallio’s undertaking of what is clearly a labour of love, whilst surely aware of the difficulties in finding an audience.
Discography
I-LXIX
Gallio (as, ss); Vito Cadonau (b); Flo Hufschmid (d, pc). Hardstudios, Winterthur, 12-13 May 2022.
Hut Hut Records ezz-thetics 121
Marion Rampal: Song For Abbey
Reader, I screwed up! When I selected this title from the list of new releases, I did so under the impression I was requesting an album featuring songs associated with Abbe Lane, the one-time vocalist with – and one-time wife of Xavier Cugat. I laboured under that impression until I actually took delivery of the album and discovered it was actually a nod to Abbey Lincoln, singer, songwriter and political activist.
Of the nine songs Ms Lincoln receives solo words and music credit on no less than six, with one by Hoagy Carmichael, one by Bob Dylan and one by Archie Shepp, who actually duets with Ms Lincoln on his own composition Remember The People. Given that I haven’t actually heard Ms. Lincoln sing, I have no way of knowing how close Marion Rampal gets to the original, if indeed she even aspires to do so. Ms. Rampal herself has a reasonable enough “modern” voice, which is how I classify the new generation of vocalists who have absolutely nothing in common with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Jo Stafford, June Christy, Doris Day, etc.
I was slightly surprised to learn that she is native to Marseille, as she has no trace of a French accent. Marseilles, of course, has a rich cultural heritage; it was there that Marcel Pagnol set his great trilogy, Marius, Fanny and César. Yves Montand was actually born in Italy but lived in Marseille from the age of two. Alas, Ms. Rampal falls a little short of these two icons but then they did set a high bar. There are five musicians, a conventional piano, bass and drums trio, plus two guitars, all of whom acquit themselves well, providing an authentic jazz flavour to the proceedings. Anyone born in or after 1990 will enjoy this album which is, no doubt, its raison d’etre.
Discography
Learning How To Listen; Wholly Earth; Caged Bird; The Music Is The Magic; And It’s Supposed To Be Love; Skylark; Throw It Away; Remember The People; Mr. Tambourine Man (43.35)
Rampal (v); Archie Shepp (v, track 8); Matthis Pascaud (g, mellotron); Raphaêl Chassin (d, pc); Simon Tailleu (b); Thibault Gomez (p); Bill Frisell (g). Les Studios St Germain. No recording dates.
Autre Distribution AD10062C
