Ingrid Laubrock - Sleepthief (Intakt, 2008) ****½

On Tuesday I saw this band perform, and I must say the concert was absolutely stunning. I had the possibility this week to watch only one of the following concerts : Dave Douglas, Marc Ribot, Ornette Coleman or Ingrid Laubrock, and well I chose for Ingrid, and in retrospect, it was without a doubt the best decision I could have made. I knew Tom Rainey of course, and look here for my appreciation for him, but Ingrid Laubrock I didn't know, nor Liam Noble. The latter is an excellent modern pianist, who has played with no-one less than Moondog and with the great British trumpeter Harry Beckett. His technique, lyricism and openness of spirit provide just the absolute right ingredients for this fabulous trio. And then there is the leader, a German pianist turned British saxophonist (or something to that extent), with a free mind and even free-er musical notions. The great thing is that she does what she does, with a phenomenal emotional drive and lots of technique. From my limited perspective, and if you want references, she fits in between Dewey Redman, Evan Parker, Joe McPhee and Tony Malaby, and these are not bad references. During the concert, the three musicians fully improvised the long pieces, moving from one emotion to the next during the long intimate and expansive pieces. And that seeming paradox : intimacy and expansiveness, is even further re-inforced by the other paradoxes : warmth and creativity, tradition and avant-garde. The album of course is completely in the same vein and is highly recommendable. The only thing is, it's too short! Laubrock really needs the time to create the full expansive sensitivity that she demonstrates on stage. A great album. A great band. I really hope to hear a double live CD soon!

Watch this clip which was recorded this week.

© stef