KLEMENT JULIENNE
Panamerican (Sony)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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With its retro-cool jazz and thoroughly modern sampling technology working together, Panamerican may just play like the soundtrack to your swankiest, sexiest lounge-rat dreams. The French production duo Klement Julienne could have made just another Latin-tinged album of songs dictated by the technology, but they chose instead to bring in living, breathing players to help make their music. Besides the core duo of David Dahan (programming and production) and Joseph Guigui (double bass, guitar, programming and production), credit Frederis D’oelsnitz with deliciously subtle electric piano work, Sébastien Chaumont for extremely versatile sax chops that range from seductively beautiful to crazed and dangerous, and Yoann Serra for holding it all together very nicely on drums. Panamerican is one of those rare jazz albums that is laid back without falling into the "smooth jazz" trap; it remains vital and interesting to the finish, and laid back or not, it can be energizing.

© 2004 - DJ Johnson