The 39e edition of the Festival international de musique contemporaine de Victoriaville (FIMAV) ended Sunday evening in triumph with a double program dedicated to the American composer and saxophonist John Zorn, in this large hall of Carré 150, which was sold out. The 8 p.m. concert unveiled two new works for trio (acoustic, electric) by Zorn, who later presented his New Masada Quartet to his admirers; before each concert, the public gave a standing ovation to the artistic director and co-founder, Michel Levasseur, who bowed out.
“Michael! Michael! Michael! chanted the crowd around 10:15 p.m., while Levasseur thanked his team and the public before the final FIMAV meeting. His friend John Zorn gave him the hug before leading his colleagues Kenny Wollesen on drums, Jorge Roeder on double bass and Julian Lage on electric guitar – the “new” ingredient of this quartet replacing the trumpet of the original Masada .
They brought us to our knees, jazzmen. What performance, what dynamism, what brilliance! At 70, Zorn has lost none of his liveliness, his powerful breath, his quick fingers on the keys, his precise gesture when it comes time to direct his accompanists, making them make sudden rhythmic turns with a simple movement of the right hand. This amalgamation of swing and of free jazz tinged with klezmer influences which form the corpus of the masada songbook roared, came to life on stage thanks to this ensemble of virtuosos whose work fans had already heard in the studio (the New Masada Quartet’s second album was released last March, by Tzadik).
At 8 p.m., two different trios presented recent compositions for the first time on Canadian soil (New Music For Trios) from Zorn. Two diametrically opposed performances, both blowing, but we will have more appreciated the first suite for piano, starring the virtuoso Brian Marsella. A spectacle in itself to see him perform on the ivories, his Olympian technique at the service of a score marrying the swing classical, contemporary music and explosions free jazz ; Ches Smith on drums and Jorge Roeder on double bass (this one from the New Quartet) supported him wonderfully. For Simulacrum, jazz turned metal and prog with three other experts, John Medeski on Hammond B3, Matt Hollenberg on electric guitar and Kenny Grohowski on drums — heavy, yes, but fickle, skilful, stunning.
Earlier in the day, between two noize performances — first by the Japanese FUJI||||||||||TA and EYE, a world premiere, then by the French Nina Garcia and Arnaud Rivière — another exquisite performance of this trio of improvisers formed by Quebec clarinettist François Houle, American drummer Kate Gentile and English pianist Alexander Hawkins. of a free jazz unleashed by improvisations approaching contemporary music (at the end of the concert), the three performers demonstrated an admirable nuance through their sensitive and intelligent playing. The recording of this concert should be the subject of an album published by Disques Victo.
The Saturday program turned out to be much calmer, to our great surprise, except for the warm performance of veteran drummer Guy Thouin and the Ensemble Infini, still at Carré 150. Exciting conversation between these ten musicians, from whom stood out Elyze Venne-Deshaies (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), who also acted as conductor, firmly directing the sound traffic that bottled up our eardrums.
Afterwards ? Caresses. The parsimonious American saxophonist Dave Rempis, in duet with the Bhutanese guitarist Tashi Dorji: we expected a storm free jazz, we rather had a delicate and precious unveiling of harmonies and textures. Same for Montrealer Lori Freedman, in a quintet with her project BeingFive : you had to strain your ears to get a good taste of the interplay of textures, of the tiny sonorities of the breath of trumpeter Axel Dörner. In the end, Yorgos Dimitriadis could have returned his drums with the bill, she barely served, concentrating instead on his cymbals. To listen with your eyes closed.
And similarly, we expected a more muscular performance from the quartet made up of Elliott Sharp (electric guitar), Colin Stetson (saxophones), Billy Martin (drums) and Payton MacDonald (marimba and vibraphone). Far from it: in the opinion of veteran festival-goers, the furious Elliott Sharp of yesteryear played the sweetest concert he ever gave on Quebec soil. Stetson, who is known to be imposing on stage, even put the pedal to the metal, as if to let MacDonald express himself at ease on his instruments. More minimalist than jazz, the performance bewitched without ever shocking the ear — much less dense than on the album. Void Patrolpublished in the summer of 2022.
During his assessment press briefing, the outgoing director could not be happier with his 39e edition, both in terms of programming and attendance — its results had not yet been quantified, but Michel Levasseur finally perceived a return to “pre-pandemic” form for FIMAV. Regrets for having made the decision to abandon his role at the dawn of the 40e anniversary ? ” No None ! “, he replied, repeating that he was tired of the pressure that comes with the function of general and artistic director.
The way to the 40e edition of FIMAV will not be easy for his successor — his successors, since the organization is looking for a tandem of co-directors to replace him and his spouse, Joanne Vézina. “Five or six” candidates for the post of artistic director are in the running; the decision of the board of directors will be announced next September, which will leave only a few months for the new management to complete the programming of the next FIMAV, in May 2024. He will have to roll up his sleeves.
Our journalist was invited by FIMAV.