Tag Archive: Sylvie Courvoisier


It is more than fair to say — right from the start of their kinship in early 2023, in the Sylvie Courvoisier 4 with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Dan Weiss — that there was something innate, and perhaps more importantly, intimate, between road-clearing pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and rascally vibraphonist Patricia Brennan. Talamanti proves that big time.
Organically the sharply focused work of two fearless, free spirits, Talamanti, (the main language of indigenous, Aztec-era Mesoamericans) culminates or, dare one say, consummates, on such deliriously lasting moments (using words like tracks or songs seems to belittle the work at hand) as “In Your Pursuit,” “Trece Cielos,” “Hojas de Malabar,” and “The Time We Spent.”

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Sylvie Courvoisier has never been easy to pin down, which is exactly the point. The Lausanne-born pianist moved to New York City in 1998 and spent the next two-plus decades making herself indispensable to the downtown avant-garde, working alongside John Zorn, Evan Parker, Wadada Leo Smith, and Mark Feldman, among others. She received the Swiss Grand Prix Music and an American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award in 2025, recognition that felt overdue rather than surprising. Her long-running piano trio with bassist Drew Gress and drummer Kenny Wollesen has been one of jazz’s most formidable units for years. Éclats: Live in Europe, recorded during a February 2025 tour, makes a strong case that the group has never sounded better.

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Wadada Leo Smith describes his music not as “jazz” but as “creative music.” He rejects the term “improvisation” in favor of “creation.” These specific word choices reflect his unique approach, which is deeply rooted in his early experiences with blues and R&B.
Smith uses the full range of his instrument and plays at his own pace, with a profound understanding of the power of silence and space. For him, space is as important as the notes themselves, allowing the resonance of each sound to linger. His phrasing and melodic ideas carry the emotional and spiritual weight of the blues, a testament to his musical heritage. His style is a synthesis of diverse influences, including African-American, Native American, and…

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