D.Pifarély / C.Taborn / D.King

For more than twenty-five years, violinist Dominique Pifarély has explored jazz and improvised music, and has been a favorite of Stephane Grappelli. His musical demand in every situation - from acoustic duo with pianist Francois Couturier to larger ensembles that he leads - has brought him international recognition, giving him the opportunity to play regularly in Europe and also in Japan, Canada and South America. Pifarely's musicianship is the fruit of a rich route of experience playing alongside Martial Solal, Eddy Louiss, Louis Sclavis, Joachim Kuhn and, featured in tonight's performance, saxophonist Tim Berne. Perhaps first and foremost, it is his rare combination of talent with true humility and a real sense of the essential that allows Pifarely to create music of such exceptional intensity. Always paying deep listening attention to his teammates - he's also a sideman for actors' or writers' readings - Pifarely raises the level of musical exchange up to peaks that even his partners may not necessarily be aware of.

Sax player Tim Berne is a common reference to the two other protagonists of tonight's concert, pianist Craig Taborn and drummer Dave King. Indeed, Taborn is involved in another of Berne's projects, while Berne himself is a great fan of King's jazz trio Happy Apple. Taborn and King, both born and raised in Minneapolis, belong to a young generation of musicians of the modern jazz scene who are known worldwide. But if Taborn was first noticed with the James Carter Quartet, the originality of his playing, combining in a very unique way a personal feel for rhythm and a unique harmonic sense, rapidly prevented him from getting stuck or stereotyped with a single label. And, while King has established a familiar reputation within the Twin Cities - mainly in connection with Happy Apple - it's with The Bad Plus that his name has become familiar to music lovers all around the globe, who are discovering the energy and the mastery of this radiant young drummer's rhythmic inventions. Though they've known each other since their teens, it's only recently that they have begun playing together again. This performance "reunion" adds to the excitement of this collaboration with Pifarely - an event carrying the perfume of adventure and of unexpected thrills.