Greg Lamy Quartet - Press Enter (2017) Hi-Res

After “I See You” (2009) and “Meeting” (2014), the Greg Lamy Quartet brings us its release: “Press En- ter!” More than an album marked by the bold modernism of the tracks “Control Swift”, “Erase”, “Exit” and “Press Enter”, these nine original compositions are more than anything else an invitation to travel.

From the first notes, “Control Swift” grooves. The punchy rhythm is driven by drummer Jean-Marc Robin’s sharp playing. The sax lines wrap themselves around electric guitar riffs whose organic and slightly acidic sound sometimes evoke a few ghosts, such as the late Larry Coryell. Once in orbit, the groove can relax in “There Will Be” – a feline workout to which the leader gives a blue sheen by bending the strings. This expressive style steeped in soul can be heard several times on the release. First on “Le Chien”, a piece that swings like a Pink Panther on the prowl thanks to Johannes Mueller’s giddy sax solo followed by a theme they all play together. Then on “Blues For Jean”, which shows to the whole world the grip that the blues has on this music – even if it is a blues à la John Scofield, tortured by phrasing with a distinctive outline that creates a saturated sound and raw inflexions through a palette of perfectly mastered effects. A big fan of big melodies, Lamy has also composed some pieces that are perfect for singing. The melancholic accents of “A.-C.”, for example, are delicately coloured by floating chords and beautiful clusters of notes that gracefully twist and turn before coming to a dream-like end. “Erase”, meanwhile, is like a trip in zero gravity featuring a bass solo from Gautier Laurent that lies across moving layers of guitar which in turn opens its wings and takes off. This eclectic repertoire is wrapped up with a bonus treat: “D Blues” is unbridled hard-bop swing, almost like a concession to the classical jazz into which the guitarist and sax-player like to sink their teeth, whipping the theme and firing off torrents of solos.