Alto saxophonist Benjamin Deschamps leads a seriously smoking quartet on the rather wonderful No Codes. The bass and drum team of Sébastien Pellerin and Louis-V. Hamel provide Deschamps and front line partner Frank Lozano on tenor sax with a potent rhythmic attack that’s boldly supportive throughout this collection of original tunes. Bassist Pellerin contributes Double Meaning, and the band performs two of Lozano’s pieces (Quick Fix and My Steps). The rest are by Deschamps. The compositions function as hip frameworks for generating excitement from the spontaneous interactions within the band as well as the solos by Deschamps and Lozano. The two horns share a fierce attack and they’re equally fluent over the full ranges of their saxophones. One of the real treats here is listening to them as they gently spar in the sparse and crystalline setting of a band without a chordal instrument. The quartet’s performances tend not to waste any time in getting to the core of the tune, saying what there is say, and getting out again. Deschamps’ Cool Cats is one favorite, with Hamel laying down a irresistible beat to prod the entwined saxophonists. Pellerin’s loping Double Meaning is another, with Lozano and Deschamps playing an enchanting duet. And there’s Lozano’s calmly ruminative Quick Fix, with more saxophone dueling and a brightly toned bass solo in the middle. The vigorous closer, Lozano’s My Steps, is a delightful romp that leaves this listener with a good feeling, and ready to start over from the beginning of the disc. A winner through and through, No Codes is highly recommended.
Multiple Chord Music MCM037; Benjamin Deschamps (as) Frank Lozano (ts) Sébastien Pellerin (b) Louis-V. Hamel (d); Montréal, PQ, no dates specified; Rules of Compression/ Song For Daniel/ Cream Muffin Treat/ Interlude 1/ Cool Cats/ No I Didn’t/ Double Meaning/ Interlude 2/ Quick Fix/ Reconciliation/ My Steps; 47:43. multiplechordmusic.com
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