ALL ABOUT JAZZ (USA)

As they say, better than mountains is only the mountain that you have not climbed yet. Amaury Faye, a promising pianist from France, reaches new heights in his 2023 album Arise. It is an instrumental suite inspired by mountains. Arise has a vast range to offer to its listeners, from quiet valleys to extreme peaks.

Arise showcases the multiple talents of Faye as a pianist and composer. This album can easily become a soundtrack to a film as all the pieces are undoubtedly cinematic and seem to have a story behind each of them. Faye creates contrasting textures and unfolds a full spectrum of expressiveness.

Some sections of the suite are full of a sense of nostalgia and longing, such as "Under the Ground (Part 1)." At the same time, Faye can be wild and adventurous, like in "Free Ride." He plays with a vast spectrum of textures: there are some groovy rhythmic patterns, like in "Stone Heart" and "Uprising;" some folk-like melodies, for instance, in "Blossom;" some gentle dancing vibes, such as in "Under the Ground (Part 2)." One can imagine sceneries to accompany the album: "La Meije" can evoke imagery of a mountainous valley in pastel tones, while the opening of "La Sambuy" reminds of a thunderstorm.

In Arise, Faye becomes more of a storyteller and creates a narrative that compels attention from the beginning to the end. Unafraid to blend different styles and genres, Faye brings together a more "classical" sound with the string quartet of Audrey Dupont (violin), Aurélie Fauthous (violin), Carlos Vizcaíno Gijón (alto) and Nabi Cabestany (cello), and contemporary jazz style with the quartet of Julian Lee (tenor saxophone), Louis Navarro (double bass), Théo Lanau (drums).

Jane Kozhevnikova

TSFJAZZ (FR)

ENGLISH TRANSLATED

The stakes were high… and the result is more than successful! No surprise, coming from one of the most prominent French pianists of the new generation. A man recently seen within the collectives Danger Zone and Paris Jazz Sessions, or performing with accordionist Sébastien Farge.

*ARISE*, the new album by Amaury Faye, was born from a dual desire. First, to blend the European classical aesthetic, central to his recent solo album, with the spontaneity of jazz that he has been exploring since 2015 with his trio. Second, to give new scope to his work as a composer. From there, he conceived an orchestral suite of nine pieces, performed by his aforementioned trio, a string quartet from the Toulouse Chamber Orchestra, and New York saxophonist Julian Lee.

The result is as pure and majestic as the mountains that inspired Amaury Faye during the writing process… We explore this repertoire in his company, culminating in a musical session featuring Olga Amelchenko on alto saxophone, Alex Gilson on double bass, and Tom Peyron on drums.

Le Soir (BE)

ENGLISH TRANLATED

Amaury Faye is a French pianist who has performed extensively in Belgium, particularly in a duo with Igor Gehenot. He is also a talented composer, as demonstrated by this ARISE suite that he wrote for an ensemble of eight musicians: himself, along with Julian Lee on tenor saxophone, Louis Navarro on double bass, Théo Lanau on drums, and the string quartet from the Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse. The piece is structured like a classical suite, consisting of three movements, each containing three pieces. It's also descriptive music, reminiscent of many 19th-century composers.

ARISE is an ode to the mountains, composed in tribute to Faye's two mountaineer grandfathers. The three sections follow the progression of a mountain ascent: enclosed valleys, steep paths, the harshness of the climb, dizzying ravines, and the serenity of the peaks.

Regardless of Amaury Faye's intentions, this album is true, quality jazz. From the first track, "A Stone Heart," you are swept up by the music and find yourself climbing, challenging the slopes, gazing at snow-covered pines, and approaching the clouds. By the time you reach La Meije and La Sambuy, you feel a sense of calm.

CULTURE 31 (FR)

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With more subtlety than a concerto or symphony, which are other formats of storytelling divided into movements, a musical suite is akin to a narrative in literature. Many such suites exist in the classical repertoire. Pianist Amaury Faye, however, reinterprets the somewhat conventional structure of an instrumental suite in a jazz mode. Far from being an academic exercise, ARISE is born, swells, and bursts with a multisensory evocation that the composer could only conceive through an intimate experience of the mountains.

ARISE is very much like a story being told, one that you listen to attentively, hooked on the narrative thread, immersed in the microclimates that unfold between each twist and turn. This mountain tableau, suggested by the album's beautifully designed cover, is all the more familiar to Amaury Faye because it was inspired by his two mountaineer grandfathers.

In this context, the opening piece, "A Stone Heart," serves as the key to the ARISE suite. It sets the tone, outlining the path on the map before the journey begins. It's the introduction, the prologue before the curtain rises in a theater, the preface, or the foreword when you open a book. Here, the movement is calm, though you can sense the potential for development—yet it's restrained, as the lightness and drama are supported by what follows.

Only then can the day truly begin.

The subsequent stages weave together the secretive atmospheres of the forest during the approach, the pause by a stream, the effort of climbing the slopes, a few words exchanged with the Elder in the mountain pastures, and finally, the wild wind at the summit. As you listen to ARISE, you can imagine whatever you like; you truly see everything you hear—and each listener will have their own breeze that carries them. The musicians in the ensemble are brilliant. Every sound, every instrument, conveys the sense of space, the slow passage of time, surprises, colors, temperatures, and moods.

ARISE is a small miracle of jazz composition, conceived, composed, and assembled by a deeply influenced Amaury Faye. This singular work has all the hallmarks of an artistic achievement. And because it is steeped in family history, it might be one of those pieces that an artist only creates once in their career—but we’ll see. At the very least, it leaves no doubt about the strong identity of a musician-composer, a complete artist.

Wishing you many more suites, Amaury Faye!

Pierre David

JAZZ'HALO (NL)

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After his foray into the realm of prog rock pop alongside Thierry Maillard for a tribute to Supertramp (Moog Project, Ilona Records), French keyboardist Amaury Faye has taken a different direction for his new album. With **ARISE {suite}**, he leans more toward third stream and chamber jazz.

His Belgian connection has deepened with the albums he's released with bassist Giuseppe Millaci’s Vogue Trio, where drummer Lionel Beuvens also plays. All of these recordings were released under Hypnote Records, Giuseppe Millaci’s label. **ARISE {suite}** is now also part of their catalog.

The approach in the first suite strongly recalls that of Jef Neve. The music features a calm and repetitive piano whose sounds blend seamlessly with those of tenor saxophonist Julian Lee, a discreet rhythm section (bassist Louis Navarro, drummer Théo Lanau), and a string quartet. This minimalist setup shifts fluidly throughout the album, alternating between jazz and classical influences and vice versa.

However, enough subtle twists are incorporated to keep the work from becoming merely an exercise in stylistic mimicry. "Uprising," the opening of the second suite, initially relies on a repetitive motif reminiscent of Philip Glass, but the rhythm section and saxophonist steer it more towards complex jazz. The winding piece "Blossom" is also rich in surprising turns. Jazz aficionados will certainly be delighted by the swirling "Free Ride," which has a truly vintage bop sound. "The Ancient" serves as a perfect example of how jazz and classical music can complement each other.

The final result is much more captivating and interesting than the first impression might suggest. Now, it remains to be seen how it will hold up in a live performance.

George Tonla-Briquet

JAZZ & MO (NL)

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The pianist might be less known in our circles—although he released an album with Gehenot last year—but it’s high time that changes. He has received numerous awards, including the Berklee Jazz Performance Award and Jazz à Vienne. 

His core trio, which offers high-quality avant-garde jazz without ever becoming exuberant, is enhanced in this three-part suite—comprising nine tracks, all composed by the pianist—with the addition of string instruments. This addition provides beautiful opportunities. The compositions, inspired by mountaineering, range from calm and flowing pieces with significant tension to more rhythmic works.

This naturally gives Amaury fantastic possibilities, resulting in a kind of programmatic music, a chamber jazz that is sometimes very cinematic. The suite skillfully balances between classical, jazz, and contemporary sound exploration. The strings occasionally lend a classical, yet mainly modern symphonic touch to the ensemble, and Faye showcases them beautifully in his palette. It is an excellent CD that can be enjoyed by fans of many genres—creative and original, yet delightfully harmonious.

LARSEN (BE)

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Amaury Faye offers us a very fine "classical suite," structured in three movements, consisting of nine tracks with distinct and coherent atmospheres, composed for eight musicians (piano, saxophone, violins, cello, double bass, drums). The atmosphere is often cinematic, notably with the magnificent **Under The Ground Pt. 1 & 2**, which could easily be heard in a Chabrol film and is reminiscent of the spirit of what Bruno Alexiu wrote for the documentary on Clouzot’s *L’Enfer*. The music has a "Miles Davis" essence (from the *Ascenseur pour l'échafaud* era), sensual and elusive. However, *Arise* also features quieter moments, perfect for sinking into a comfy club chair, like the very "Bill Evans"-esque **The Ancient**. In short, the album takes listeners on a journey through jazz, oscillating between neoclassical, free, and cool styles, with a very cinematic feel of vast spaces (the final movement is dedicated to mountains: La Meije, La Sambuy). The line-up is superb, including the string quartet from the Toulouse Chamber Orchestra, internationally emerging jazz musicians like saxophonist Julian Lee—making waves on the New York scene—and, of course, the Amaury Faye Trio. This album is an ideal escape for this autumn.

FROGGY'S DELIGHT (FR)

ENGLISH TRANSLATED

First, there is the mountain—valleys, forests, magnificent landscapes—and then a tribute to his two mountaineer grandfathers. For jazz pianist Amaury Faye, the desire to give form to these inspirations led him to compose a grand instrumental suite that blends jazz and classical music. The ensemble includes Amaury Faye on piano, Louis Navarro on double bass, Théo Lanau on drums, Julian Lee on tenor saxophone, Audrey Dupont and Aurélie Fauthous on violins, Carlos Vizcaino-Gijon on viola, and Nabi Cabestany on cello.

This grand suite is divided into three parts: the first (A Stone Heart, Under The Ground Part 1 and Part 2) evokes the enclosed valleys, the second (Uprising, The Ancient, Blossom) represents the hike and difficult ascent, and the third (Free Ride, La Meije, La Sambuy) captures the summits.

In the spirit of great jazz suites, Amaury Faye creates a range of atmospheres, dynamics, and moments of tension and relaxation without simply alternating fast and slow movements. He finds a balance between different aesthetics to create a cohesive whole, carefully crafting thematic connections.

This ambitious piece, in its form, progression, and melodic surges, demonstrates musical intelligence—a quality long appreciated in Faye—balanced compositions and colors, virtuosity (especially highlighted in Faye and Julian Lee), direct yet sophisticated lyricism, and remarkably fine and rich arrangements, sometimes with an impressionistic touch. Additionally, there is a subtle instinctiveness in the performance, a certain elegance. A truly remarkable achievement.

JAZZMANIA (BE)

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It is always intriguing to listen to a genuine musical project and to understand an artist's original vision regarding a specific theme. In this album, the Toulouse-born pianist Amaury Faye explores a theme dedicated to the mountains, and through them, to his two mountaineer grandfathers who introduced him to the beauty of nature. The album's title, *Arise*, conveys the idea of an ascent: divided into three parts, the suite begins in lush valleys, then follows steep mountain trails, and finally culminates in a grand finale at the summit. To bring his vision to life, the pianist's trio, which includes bassist Louis Navarro and drummer Théo Lanau, is joined by saxophonist Julian Lee, a rising star on the New York jazz scene, as well as the string quartet from the Orchestre de Chambre de Toulouse. This ensemble of four jazz musicians and four classical musicians collaborates on an ambitious work that blends both worlds.

The journey begins joyfully with *A Stone Heart*, which opens the first section. The clarity of the writing is magnificent, while each musician, whether from a jazz or classical background, contributes to a remarkably balanced structure. The two parts of *Under The Ground* evoke both a zest for life and a serene ecstasy inspired by the majesty of a landscape one can easily imagine as verdant. The improvised sections feed off the written ones, forming a whole of refreshing beauty. With the second section, which also includes three pieces, we enter the heart of the action. The melodic lines become more energetic and harsher as well. But soon, as the ascent continues, the untouched nature reveals itself in its mysterious splendor, while the music is intoxicated with the pleasure of discovery. The hike continues with *Free Ride*, which kicks off the third section, before serenity sets in with the final two tracks, named after two magical landmarks: *La Meije*, a mountain in the Oisans region, and *La Sambuy* in Haute-Savoie, which overlooks Lake Annecy, a blue patch surrounded by glittering mountain ranges. This time, the elegiac music is filled with expressive lyricism. There is definitely something epic about this musical work, like a breath echoing the landscapes it evokes.

JAZZ'IN FAMILY (ITA)

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In this review, we wish to share our impressions of the album *ARISE* by Amaury Faye Ensemble, available since May 19, 2023, on all streaming and digital download platforms. This musical work is a precious blend of jazz, classical music, film scores, and modernity, offering an exceptional auditory experience.

The album draws inspiration from the artist's passion for the mountains and is dedicated to his mountaineer grandparents. The compositions within the album are structured in three parts, evoking the imagery of an ascent through imposing natural landscapes. The idea is to musically represent a climb through valleys and steep trails up to majestic peaks.

The musicians' performance is top-notch in terms of technical skill and musical synergy. The ensemble includes, besides Amaury Faye on piano, Julian Lee on tenor saxophone, Louise Navarro on double bass, Théo Lanau on drums, Audrey Dupont with Aurélie Fauthous on violins, Carlos Vizcaino Gijon on viola, and Nabi Cabestany on cello.

The tracklist of *ARISE* features captivating and diverse pieces. Tracks like *A Stone Heart* and *Uprising* are characterized by high-quality jazz improvisations and infectious energy, while pieces like *Under The Ground* and *The Ancient* are more contemplative and profound, with moving melodies and sophisticated arrangements. The album's production is impeccable, with particular attention given to sound quality, which maximizes the performances of the musicians and Amaury Faye's compositions.

JAZZ MAGAZINE (FR)

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At 32 years old, Amaury Faye is already an established leader, with his first album having been recognized as a "Revelation!" in our pages and his work as a sideman consistently praised. However, this album marks a new chapter for the pianist, as he has taken on the always challenging task of merging his regular trio (Louis Navarro on bass and Théo Lanau on drums) with a string quartet, while also collaborating with tenor saxophonist Julian Lee.

It's a significant challenge, especially given the wide range of atmospheres and moods in his compositions, yet the flow of this nine-piece suite, divided into three movements, remains cohesive. From the increasingly dramatic intensity against an intermittent ostinato in *A Stone Heart* to the bright and swinging energy of *Free Ride*, and the intimate, softly lit chamber-like feel of *Under The Ground*, Faye consistently shows remarkable restraint, often allowing the rest of the ensemble to shine and elevate his subtly colored compositions. While his ability to balance tension and release and his interaction with the quartet and Julian Lee (who excels throughout with his tone and nuance) may occasionally evoke Brad Mehldau's *Highway Rider*, there's something deeply personal in this delicate and picturesque suite that resonates directly with the heart.

Yazid Kouloughli

JAZZ NEWS (FR)

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