Joan Mar Sauqué - Gone with the Wind (2021)

In jazz circles, adopting an aesthetic framework from the past will raise the alarm of purist revivalism or inane imitation, but this is not the case. Despite several precedents for this kind of trio, from Chet Bakerʼs in Europe to Nicholas Paytonʼs on Fingerpainting (Verve, 1997), or even saxophonist Lucky Thompsonʼs with Oscar Pettiford (ABC-Paramount, 1956), Sauquéʼs main motive is not a model from without, but a decision from within: heʼs seeking clarity in sound, an easy, uncluttered way for the listener to appreciate the music.With that vision in mind, aided by guitarist Josep Traver (b. 1968) and bassist Giuseppe Campisi (b. 1991), braving the pandemic together, without headphones, Sauqué has produced a classic-style album — 12 tracks clocking at 40ʼ — of tunes mostly from the 1940s. Beyond his instrumental skills, Sauqué happens to be quite the scholar regarding the music he loves, which explains the rather unusual selection of repertoire, where melodies rule.These songs speak for themselves, but few pointers may be needed