Dear Uncle Lennie
Sister Juniper
Brussels-based Dear Uncle Lennie was formed in 2022 on the initiative of Swiss pianist Camille-Alban Spreng. The trio, with its unusual lineup consisting entirely of string instruments (piano, guitar, banjo), released its first album on the French label Yolk Records. Their intimate pieces, inspired by haiku poetry, created an imaginary world with its own locations and characters. Sister Juniper is a collection of similar snapshots: behind the evocative song titles lies an entire family epic, a mysterious narrative whose chapters have been deliberately mixed up. The album touches on numerous traditions and genres, from folk to repetitive minimalist music, jazz to country, without ever settling on any one. The miniatures are accompanied by longer, more complex compositions, and the expansion of the trio's universe is evident in the guest appearance of clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst and the collaboration with producer Koen Gisen, too. Camille-Alban Spreng has previously released three albums with his band Odil, one of which featured guest appearances by Leïla Martial and Valentin Ceccaldi, both of whom have also appeared on BMC recordings. Although Benjamin Sauzereau has only recently joined the BMC Records catalog, the guitarist is already appearing on his third CD after Fur and Easy Pieces.