



For his 17th album as a leader, J-Luc Oboman Fillon, the world's leading jazz oboist, has gathered four excellent jazzmen around original and personal arrangements of the music of Art Blakey's jazz messengers (Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton).
Originally from Mantes la Jolie, a town that was very much into jazz at the time, he had the chance to attend many jazz concerts at a very early age. In the early 80's, he discovered the Jazz Messengers and met the great master of drums, Art Blakey. The festival director had asked him to lend his bass amp to Charles Fambrough in exchange for a prime spot at the concert! The curtains open, the orchestra explodes on a Witch Hunt by Wayne Shorter, which makes him dizzy: he remains blissful, intoxicated, euphoric! He buys the record "Live in Paris", record of the year 1981, essential record to his jazz path. Since then, he has always been fascinated by the music of the Jazz Messengers and consequently by that of Wayne Shorter.
But how and why would he want to play this music again today, and especially with an oboe/English horn and an alto violin as a front line? Especially since the Guinness Book ranks the oboe among the two most difficult musical instruments to play (the other being the French horn). The recognition of the jazz community and beyond has nevertheless encouraged Oboman to continue his pioneering adventure.
Regularly, he takes up the music of the great composers: In 2006, it was "Echoes of Ellington" and in 2014, the album "Oboman Plays Cole Porter". Both albums were highly acclaimed by the critics, especially for the quality and originality of the arrangements.
This new project "Jumpin' with Art" - no doubt in reference to Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside" - another childhood memory - and to a little pun between Art Blakey and Art musical...- is presented in a more conventional format with a solid rhythm section => piano (and/or Fender Rhodes), double bass and drums . "When I talked about this project with Olivier Hutman and Fred Eymard, and then with Bruno Rousselet and Karl Jannuska, I immediately felt an enthusiasm and a total adhesion to the project. It was a great success", says Oboman.
At first, he says that he immersed himself with delight in all the Jazz Messengers' recordings with, 40 years later, a more informed and therefore more critical ear. The final choice of pieces required a long process of listening and re-listening and was conditioned by the interest and feasibility of an arrangement. "I wanted to be able to mix and shape this musical material to better appropriate it. I wanted groove, Africa, reggae, energy, a nod to classical music with the chorale of This is For Albert - of course, I know it's a tribute to Albert Ayler, but for me, it's more about my father, Albert, who's about to turn 93" says Oboman.
"My idea was to try to make the oboe/viola pair sound as good as possible, so, when possible, to play three voices simultaneously. Then the quintet rehearsals allowed us to adjust the grooves and finalize the shape of the pieces. Everyone had an opinion on the matter and I like that! It's a pleasant and productive form of collective intelligence.
Finally, our three days of recording went wonderfully well, in a relaxed, good mood and the collective desire to give the best! I am deeply convinced that this 17th album will not go unnoticed! The reunion of the oboe/English horn and an alto violin is a first in the history of Jazz. Yes, I am an oboist, yes, I played 10 years in the classical sphere but Jazz is deeply rooted in me.
It grooves, it sounds, it's joyful !!! It's Jumpin' with Art
Jean-Luc Oboman Fillon
https://www.jeanlucfillon.com/
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"The fullness of his tone gives his instruments - the oboe and English horn - a place in jazz that double reeds rarely achieve", Franck Bergerot, Jazz Magazine
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"Jean-Luc Fillon has certainly introduced instruments that are rarely used in jazz, but above all he has created an original orchestral colour, full of sensuality and pulse.." Stéphane Carini, Jazzman
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"The seduction and originality of J-Luc Fillon's music obviously owe a great deal to the instrument he uses, the English horn, tenor oboe in F. With boldness and virtuosity, Jean-Luc gives us new ways to love it." Claude Carrière, France Musiques
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"Don't listen to J-Luc Fillon thinking he's playing an instrument rarely used in jazz. His talent as a composer and improviser quickly makes you forget the instrument. From the very first track, it's clear that J-L F. knows what he's talking about and has mastered all the essential aspects of jazz music, not to mention an instrumental technique beyond reproach."- Martial Solal
WHO PLAYED WITH WHO?
Olivier Hutman
played with Terry, Barney Wilen, Pepper Adams, Art Farmer, Toots Thielemans, Didier Lockwood, Dee Dee Bridgwater, Sheila Jordan...
Bruno Rousselet
played with avec Laurent de Wilde, Richard Galliano, Tom Harrel, Daniel Humair, Wynton Marsalis, Mal Waldron...
Frédéric Eymard
played with Olivier Calmel, Didier Lockwood, Christophe Panzani...
Karl Jannuska
played with Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau, Lionel Loueke, Hugh Colman, Mark Turner, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Emile Parisien...