Lara Somogyi and Jean-Michel Blais – désert Review

What does Lara Somogyi and Jean-Michel Blais sound like?

Lara on harp, Jean-Michel on piano. Listening to each other to create movements of energy in the moment.

The review of ‘désert’ by Lara Somogyi and Jean-Michel Blais

If you’d told me that ‘désert’ was an album entirely created in improvisation, I’d probably have scoffed. Lara Somogyi’s delicate and expressive harp and Jean-Michel Blais’ piano that straddles traditional and contemporary classical collide in such an organic way that I’d have to question just how improvised the whole thing was. It’s that good. All too often, improvisation lacks melody, structure, restraint, or symbiosis. This album has all of that in spades.

Just like some of the best improvisations, this album happened as a happy accident. Lara Somogyi invited Jean-Michel Blais to Joshua Tree for a few days to enjoy playing some music together. There were no plans for an album. It was all about enjoying music in such a sacred and inspiring location. Thankfully, the end result was recorded, and some time later, a colleague discovered it and declared an album born.

Each of the 11 tracks on the album has a slightly different feeling, but there is a common unveiling that happens across most of the tracks. They start off with a shimmer or some tentative steps as each instrument leans into a feeling. Often, one instrument takes the lead slightly over the other, but never takes full charge of the performance. Then, a melody, a chord pattern, or motif – something emerges, and both Lara and Jean-Michel seem to instantly click and pour into it. It sounds so organic, like the rolling low chords of ‘escaliers’, or the cascading notes of ‘révérence’, the track bubbles up from nowhere and sounds fully formed and full-bodied. Once the structure for the next while is solidified, it allows Somogyi and Blais to embellish like musical ballerinas, before retreating back to a gentle caress of a landing to close the song out.

With both artists experienced in experimental and minimalist approaches to their instruments, it was refreshing to find that minimalism was largely eschewed from the album. There are quieter moments, such as the brooding long tail notes of ‘dusk’, but elegant motifs drape over their shoulders. There’s even room for some piano tape warping in this sombre and reflective ‘monarque’. Whatever the duo are up to, it feels restorative, meditative, and dewy.

I read an article that included an interview about the process from The Line of Best Fit, as the way these musicians are so in sync with each other for an improvisational performance astounds me. The writer of that article, Max Gaylor, says it best – they listen to each other. That’s what allows the freeform natural flow of melodies and movements to occur without ever sounding clunky. They are also respectful and in service of each other. It’s a musical dance in which both will take the lead and follow placements willingly, and they trust each other to lead gently into the next part of the track. It’s quietly awe-inspiring to watch, and you can watch seven of the tracks performed live in a rerecorded performance. ‘désert’ is a beautiful album that goes far beyond “pretty”. It holds the soulful spirit of creativity and trust, and it holds it with abundance and glee. Heartwarming.

Recommended track: révérence

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