Grégoire Maret’s Debut CD displays his unique World Fusion musical talents making him a worthy contender for a GRAMMY. Courtesy photo.
By Danny R. Johnson
NEW YORK, NY – Jazz harmonicist Grégoire Maret’s long-awaited self-titled debut CD is revolutionary, ambitious, and chivalrous to the movers and shakers of jazz and World Fusion music past and present. The 15 tracks Grégoire Maret CD contains infectious melodies and arrangements that are earthy, audacious and lush, tranquil and jubilant, vociferous and tender – all qualities which should make this CD a strong contender for a GRAMMY nomination.
Maret makes his formal introduction to the world stage with a CD that enraptures all of the 10 years of tears, sweat, sacrifices and musical collaborations he experienced with the who’s who in the music world. His guest appearances on recording sessions and concert stages expand that list to even more jaw-dropping proportions: Raul Midón, George Benson, Jimmy Scott, John Ellis, Jacky Terrasson, Richard Bona, Sean Jones, Terri Lyne Carrington, Johnathan Blake, Kurt Elling, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Lionel Loueke, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Mike Stern, and Charlie Hunter have all made use of Maret’s unmatched palette of color. More recently, he has worked alongside some of the biggest names in music, including Elton John, Sting, and Prince.
To say that Maret is a jazz harmonica player would imply that he is subordinate to this one discipline – when in fact he is a master harmonicist specializing in jazz, R&B, country, classical, blues, pop, and Latin musical idioms. In essence, Grégoire is a first-class World Fusion musician, and his Grégoire Maret CD is the definitive album that shows what a World Fusion musician sounds like.
When listening to this CD, you will find that the main characteristic of Maret’s work is that sense of speech and connectivity that you rarely find in World Fusion harmonicists these days. No matter what kind of harmonica this dude places to his lips, the sound that springs forth is always vivacious and sensuous.
Grégoire Maret CD is Quietly Meditative to Blindingly Aggressive
The young 37 year-old Maret, who hails from Switzerland, does not waste any time connecting us to the first track, Lucilla’s Dream. In this tune he uses the speech-like qualities of his harmonica techniques to manage individual notes, or in this case, he disperses quick passages and short phrases throughout; along with beautiful accompaniment from the rhythm section members: Federico Peña, piano, James Genus, electric bass, Clarence Penn, drums, and haunting percussion work by Bashiri Johnson and Mino Cinelu, Maret is always changing inflection during his solo escapades. He attacks some notes sharply; lets others slide into existence. He swells some, diminishes others. Lucilla’s Dream is simply a delightful orchestration of melodic variations.
Stevie Wonders’ The Secret Life of Plants track is approach with complete sensitivity. Maret’s musicianship must not be underestimated. Few World Fusion harmonicists of his generation are as technically adept as he is. Grégoire’s intonation is excellent, his tone warm and full and completely under his control, his lower register rich, and his dexterity quick enough to allow him to play at various levels than most harmonicists I have listened to lately.
Harmonica legend Toots Thielemans duets with Maret are indeed a torch-passing moment on O Amor E O Meu Pais (Love Is My Country) track. Here you have the 89-year-old Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling, sharing a priceless moment in time that will never be repeated. With a full string orchestra, Thielemans gives one of his most passionate recording performances to date. The major distinction between Toots and Maret is in their phrasing, not the harmony. The two uses altered, but complimentary chords, to achieve the simplicity and sensitivity of the piece, which recalls the love for the old country, and reflections of the places and people whose journey has ended.
Grégoire Maret’s CD highlights an artist who is shaping notes as well as lines – or in certain cases, instead of lines. Whether you are listening to the incomparable songstress Cassandra Wilson singing Maret’s arrangement of the George and Ira Gershwin’s The Man I Love, with its strong melodic and emotional character, to the Crepuscule Suite (The Period of Partial Darkness at the Beginning or End of the Day, Twilight), which Maret approached solely through its melody, improvising on the songs melodic phrases rather than it chord changes. Crepuscule Suite offers an open-ended inspiration for musical creativity – both horizontally, in linear developments of his solos, and vertically, in the chance harmonies that followed.
Grégoire Maret: The World Fusion Sui Generis Harmonica Player
It should be clear that, as a practical matter, knowing what came before could have real value in suggesting solutions to present world problems. John Lewis’ best-known work stems from his admiration of an earlier player, Django Reinhardt. The variety in the work of Charlie Mingus is undoubtedly due to his great familiarity with all that happened in jazz. Ornette Coleman built on a foundation of the blues. Grégoire Maret’s CD encompasses all the passion, emotions, and triumphs of the human experience. Each of the pieces delivers a specific emotional freight depending on the mood you are in and the reflections the music takes you.
Grégoire Maret is the World Fusion Sui Generis harmonica player, which simply means that he is an artist who plays in a style of which he is the only unique practitioner.
Danny R. Johnson is San Diego County News’ Jazz and Pop Music Critic.
