Duo Andy Emler & Dave Liebman

Journey Around the truth

Commutations 2 is for me the perfect opportunity to continue the dialogue with the immense Dave Liebman, the most European of American soloists, on the equally extraordinary instrument that is the great organ of Radio France designed by master organ builder Gerhard Grenzing .

Dave and I share more than thirty years of friendship, and our many companions, in the most diverse instrumentations, include all the music that has permeated us: the “classical” strain of course, and all the contemporary currents where improvisation (organ glory!), jazz, live music and groove enrich our respective languages, permanently open to the world.

A tailor-made music, where the meetings between written and improvised are alchimit at will, sou es and sounds mixed, in the requirement and the pleasure.

– Andy Emler

Under the title Journey Around the Truth, this disc invites you to the journey initiated by Radio France’s commission to pianist and composer Andy Emler from Commutations 2, created on February 21, 2018 on the extraordinary instrument that is the great organ designed for its new Auditorium by master postman Gerhard Grenzing.

“All terrain” adventurer, Andy Emler invites for the occasion an exceptional musician whose career follows on from the “Coltranian” heritage: the American saxophonist David Liebman, like him always ready to invest in the most daring bets. Including, for the composer, that of writing “tailor-made”, by taming the nuances of the 87 stops of the organ of Radio France and its 5.320 pipes, and of inventing a dynamic adapted to the tessitura and the register of instruments, and their respective power of expression.

“For this” Journey around the Truth “, the two musicians have multiplied the stakes. First challenge: to create a duet of a new nature, where the concert organ crosses the bar with the saxophone, where the most monumental instrument meets the frailest – in addition to the tenor and the soprano, the saxophonist also plays a small traditional flute. ” – Arnaud Merlin

Between these two virtuosos, accomplices in music and friends for almost thirty years, the current passes intensely, from the first minute. In this “electric” album, it is also alternative: the roles and the voices are reversed, the highs pass in the bass, and the pedals of the organ become so many melodies.

Andy Emler’s music and the space left for improvisation bring to light a kind of ideal balance between the earthly power of Earth and the spirituality of Air. Like the generous hedonism and incandescent lyricism of these two decidedly unique soloists.

Personnel:

Andy Emler: organ
Dave Liebman: Soprano and Tenor Saxophones

Photos :

© JF Humbert

The “Compagnie aime l’air” is supported by French institutions: Drac and the Ile-de-France Region.
The Journey Around the Truth repertoire was composed during a Radio France Commission to Andy Emler.
Journey Aound the Truth is a co-production the Compagnie J’aime l’Air Radio France.
The album Journey Around the Truth was produced by the Signature – Radio France Distr label. Outhere.