Clement, Petit/ Sophie Bernado/ Jocelyn Mienniel
Bruno Lapin
Brunö Lapin's debut album represents and further expands the line of French chamber jazz that has been an important part of the BMC Records catalog for years, with recordings of Space Galvachers and L'Arbre Rouge, for example, in which bands the musicians of this trio have already been introduced. Brunö Lapin is a true chamber jazz trio whose restless, mysterious, and intricate music draws less on contemporary jazz than on the intimate sound of classical chamber music and the rhythmic foundations of traditional music cultures outside Europe. The collaboration between Sophie Bernado, Jocelyn Mienniel and Clément Petit initially focused on improvisation, but gradually shifted towards melody-driven, sometimes even danceable compositions, which make up the main part of the album, outlining the story of a character who is both imaginary and real-life Brunö Lapin, or Brunö the Rabbit. However, the group's sound is even more distinctive than the musicians' compositions: the unusual trio of flute, bassoon, and cello is sometimes complemented by Bernado's singing. The restrained instrumentation gives way to dazzlingly rich sounds, thanks to versatile timbre changes and playing styles.