Benoît Martiny Band & The Grand Cosmic Journey
Moons of Uranus
Badass Yogi Productions, 2020

Their new album, The Moon of Uranus, was released on October 15th and was recorded live at the Luxembourg Philharmonic. It features Jean Bermes on vocals, Renata van der Vyver on viola, Michel Pilz on bass clarinet, Itaru Oki on trumpet, flugelhorn and flute, Steve Kaspar on electronic landscapes, and Leon den Engelsen on keyboards.
Once again, the ensemble explores a sonic world created without stylistic barriers: emblematic (and programmatic in the title) the opening track The World Goes to Shit but Still You Play That Jazz, a torrid and muscular groove blues track with sax sections in big band style and reggae interludes. Space Express is built with oriental sounds and pure psychedelia, while Attack of the Martian Nazis is basically a long drum solo.
Stardate 2020 explores the modal territories dear to jazz-rock with a beautiful, saturated guitar in the foreground and the (almost humorous) voice that doubles the viola, while Kaspar’s Dream is a funk song characterized by the beautiful riffs of the reeds. The final The Moons of Uranus is interesting, undoubtedly the most Zappa-style track in theme and development.
The Moon of Uranus is a particularly original album without limits, which will surely please those who consider jazz as the highest form of creativity.
(EM)