Batteriste

• Artist: Frédéric Firmin
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1996
• Genre: Jazz

Review

Frédéric Firmin has been performing solo since 1979. Batteriste (loose translation of the bastardized French word "drumist") is his first solo album. Recorded at les Instants Chavirés over three days, it presents eight shortish pieces for drums. Both the club and the label In Situ are known for their implication in free improvisation and experimental music, but Batteriste defies expectations. Firmin approaches drumming as something highly rhythmical. His complex, rich, occasionally evolving patterns are nevertheless rooted in the beat, firmly stated. He doesn't use extended techniques or extraneous material like junk metal (like Roger Turner or Paul Lytton, for instance). A medium-sized drum set, a pair of sticks, and a knack for cutting loose, tribal style is all Firmin needs. It works relatively well, but it makes Batteriste a drummer's album, even more than solo CDs by the aforementioned free improv percussionists. Firmin displays some diversity in his playing, but not enough to erase the impression that he is a bit one-track minded. Highlights include the opener, "Voyages Avec Ta Maison," and "Merci." "Pour les Générations Futures" closes the proceedings with a piece focusing solely on the tom-toms (played with padded mallets), an interesting touch. The technique and the virtuosity are there, but excitement is another story. ~ François Couture, Rovi

Previous:	Battering Ram [Bonus Track] (2004 Album by Iron Savior)
Next:	Batterram (1995 Album by Toddy Tee)