ERIK TRUFFAZ
The Mask
Blue Note
7243 5 26427 2 4

As a listener and jazz freak, I came of age in the early '70s, and there are times when I pine for the sound of a Fender Rhodes piano, or some wah-wah trumpet (or saxophone for that matter). If you share my fetish for adventurous electric jazz, you would do well to check out Erik Truffaz' The Mask. This disc is a US-only compilation of material from the quartet's three discs released on Blue Note in France. Two tracks ("No Choice" and "Betty") are from their first recording, an all-acoustic set. "No Choice" has that dark, moody early '60s Blue Note feel, and wouldn't sound out of place on one of Wayne Shorter's recordings from that period. Truffaz is a very Miles-infuenced player with a light touch and a fuzzy, round tone not unlike that of Eddie Henderson or Mark Isham. He is not a brassy player, and actually sounds like he's playing a flügelhorn, rather than a trumpet. His extensive use of half-valve effects and sudden stabs into the uppermost register of the instrument made me think of Nils-Petter Molvaer, also. Like Molvaer, Truffaz is acutely aware of cutting edge trends in pop music, and the majority of the tracks on The Mask have a strong rhythmic influence derived from drum 'n' bass, hip-hop and other mildly experimental electronic-acoustic hybrids. Unlike Molvaer (e.g., "Khmer"), Truffaz' adaptation of these styles is refreshingly individual: there are no electronics on The Mask other than electric bass and Fender Rhodes. All of the rhythm parts are executed acoustically, though the percussion is multi-tracked on one or two pieces. Truffaz' insistence upon real-time execution of hip-hop rhythms proves to be one his music's greatest strengths. The lack of computer-generated nonsense keeps the music fresh, invigorating and free of dance-floor clichés that are sure to become outdated in a few months.

Truffaz' collaborators are extremely capable and creative musicians. Erbetta's crisp drumming never overwhelms, and he swings like a madman on "Arroyo." Massimo Giuliani is equally adept on both acoustic and electric bass, and wisely eschews thumb-popping gymnastics in favor of a deeper, more profound sort of funk. Special kudos go to keyboardist Patrick Muller for his extremely creative and adventurous use of the Fender Rhodes. In a time where more and more pianists are returning to the Fender Rhodes, Muller is one of the very few who realize the instrument's textural possibilities. Frankly, I loved this disc. At times it sounds very much like Bitches Brew, or perhaps a lost Eddie Henderson session from the early '70s, though Truffaz uses much less instrumentation and has a tighter, more song-like compositional concept. I was impressed with the way the quartet was willing to stand back and let the music insinuate itself upon the listener.

Dave Wayne

Track Listing: 1. Sweet Mercy; 2. Arroyo; 3. More; 4. Less; 5. No Choice; 6. The Mask; 7. The Dawn; 8. Betty; 9. Bending New Corners; 10. Minaret; 11. And

Personnel: Erik Truffaz, trumpet; Patrick Muler, Fender Rhodes (tracks 1-4, 6-7, 9-11), acoustic piano (tracks 5, 8); Marcello Giuliani, electric and acoustic basses; Marc Erbetta, drums, percussion; uncredited voice on 11.