Vanassextet

Vanassextet: Amerikois

by Budd Kopman
April 10, 2005

Amérikois is a very deceptive album. It starts with “Petit Michel," which sounds very much like light jazz from a French movie, but then grows deeper in both emotion and musicality. The instrumentation changes with more use of the bass clarinet, a fabulous sound, in music with more intricate structure. Being a vibraphonist, Vanasse is subject to the prejudice that seems to dog such players: their instrument is for some reason not taken seriously. While not easily ...

Vanassextet: Amerikois

by Stephen Latessa
January 7, 2005

A conversation among six people is not always an easy thing to pull off. There may be some who seek to overwhelm the others, and those all too content to be dominated. Too often the give and take may devolve into either discord or moody stasis. The wonder of the Jean Vanasse Sextet is that the group can create music so light, airy, and free of friction.

Amérikois finds the sextet further sweetening the confections of composer/arranger/leader Jean ...