Halfway 'Til Dawn

Amazon.com

Phillipe Saisse is a studio wizard, overlaying programmed drums with a variety of modern and vintage keyboards from mini-Moog to vibraphone. But it's his playfulness that gives this CD its special character, his willingness to mix techno-dance grooves, a horn ensemble, and squiggles of analog synthesizers under his own lush piano work and the performances of collaborators such as guitarist Jeff Golub and singer Cara Jackson. Saisse can build a pensive mood, then suddenly spin it into another soundscape, with retuned piano, artificial orchestras, and muffled Vocoder conversations bubbling to the surface. "Minds Alike," with trumpet, tenor sax, and acoustic bass, is a contemporary take on traditional jazz, while "Halfway 'til Dawn" is a moody mix of weighty chords, Jeff Beal's mellow trumpet, and Saisse's own sparkling piano. "La Vie," cowritten and sung by Angelique Kidjo, adds elements of African choir to an already catchy line, equally effective in both its original form and the pop remix. There's a chimerical creativity here that marks Saisse for special attention. --Adam Rains

Review

Pianist, composer, and producer-in-demand Philippe Saisse takes elements of pop jazz - easy harmonies, tight production - and proceeds to smash them, fusing a hip, edgy sound for a new era. The French native embraces pop, jazz, drum-and-bass, world, tons of soul, and massive amounts of energy in an intoxicating trip that's equal parts Paris Metro and Blade Runner, a soundtrack to an otherworldly sci-fi adventure. As the smooth/contemporary-jazz genre grows increasingly bland, Saisse guns for adventure while keeping an eye on accessibility - no vanity project here. Many passages are awash in squeaks, squawks, and other synthesizer blips, while production values are slick and the thick grooves never veer far from the pocket. "Fusionesque," the lead track, states his purpose: a blending of '60s James Bond piano, wordless vocals, and retro, twangy guitar with '90s-and-beyond sensibilities. "The Girl With Botticelli Eyes" comes at you with a dance-club bass hook, yet is thrown off-kilter by unhurried, off-speed piano tinkling. On "Kinetic Groove," Saisse shows his chops on the Moog, while on "La Vie," he lets the African-flavored vocals of Parisian singer Angelique Kidjo take over. Just when you think it can't get any better, there's "Vol de Nuit," with its speedy piano lines and late-night trumpet wails riding over frenetic drumming. It's wonderfully exciting - as are the musical possibilities Saisse raises for the new millennium.
--Brian Soergel, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc. -- From Jazziz, ISBN13:B00001IVQA ISBN10:B00001IVQA Material Type:audioCD