Strings Garden - a new album from Joëlle Léandre

Today we are celebrating birthday of Joëlle Léandre. There is no needs for an introduction nor is this time or place to properly highlight her achievements and to her ponder upon her indisputable role regarding the European improvised scene. What we need to however is to appreciate that, even thou it is her birthday, Joëlle Léandre is the one giving as the present. Today, Listen Foundation!, is releasing Leandre’s new album titled “Strings Garden”. Or should we say albums.

“Strings Garden” is a boxset composed of three recitals, all played in duets, with the leading representatives of the French instrumentalists.

First one is called Trees and it’s a recording of the concert that took place in Paris on April 22nd  2016, during which Joëlle performed one of the most important jazz double bass players in France, Bernard Santacruz.

Next we have a collaboration that happened in July of 2016. The concert took place in the famous Parisian club Le Triton, and Léandre is joined here by the representative of the young generation of Paris improvisers, cellist Gaspar Claus. This album is titled Leaves.

Last, but certainly not least, is the privet concert that happened in the Warsaw-based club DZIK. Here, at the Joëlle Léandre’s side is her student, a young yet already well-known violinist and violist Theo Ceccaldi.

“String Garden” is all that can be offered by a modern, creative and virtuoso world of string instruments created by some of the most outstanding improvisers of the Old Continent.