JEAN LOUIS

Having originated from France in the wake of the Zeuhl, RIO and Avant-Garde luminaries of the 70s and 80s, Jean Louis' spectacularly impressive brand of avant-jazz should hardly come as a surprise to anybody. Only a three-piece, Jean Louis still manages to sound large, loud and grand. Due to the plethora of effects added to their instruments, one can hardly tell much of the time whether what we hear originates from Joachim Florent's upright bass or from Aymeric Avice's trumpet. Practically every moment of this album, possibly one of the best debuts in decades, is fresh, fascinating, and very technically impressive. No doubt destined to become one of progressive rock's greats, Jean Louis never ceases to amaze me, no matter how many times I hear this album.