Joëlle Léandre, Andrzej Karałow – ‘Flint’

Chamber recordings always reward my deepest attention, regardless of their style. Even more so when they involve musicians I admire.

So it is with Flint, created by double bassist Joëlle Léandre and pianist Andrzej Karałow. These artists are from different generations, but united by their exceptional creativity. Their encounter at Studio S4 of Polish Radio in Warsaw yielded nine tracks that last just under forty minutes.

All nine “flints” were spontaneous improvisations. There are moments of heightened expression, although the duo’s conversations mostly feel quite restrained. That said, Karałow’s contribution is a little more low key, while Léandre offers greater intensity by way of contrast.

The artistry of both musicians shines through. They sense perfectly when to remain in the background and when to take a lead. They move seamlessly from speaking with one voice to overlaying individual instrumental narratives. The whole album stirs the imagination, a fascinating meeting of musical mastery.