Some kinda Montreal invasion of Edmonton’s The Yardbird Suite jazz club happened a couple of months ago when tenor saxophonist John Sweenie and his fellow Montrealers (Jean-Michel Pilc on piano, Rémi-Jean Leblanc on bass and Rich Irwin on drums) recorded Mysticism for Intellectuals, a fantastically good and intelligent contemporary jazz album, tinged with some apathy-killing groovyness.
Over seven generously extended tracks (some make around ten minutes, another, over fifteen) Sweenie and his friends create some of the coolest modern/contemporary jazz sounds around. Harmonically advanced, the melodies nevertheless remain grounded in groove, or purely atmospheric canvases that never fail to catch the ear.
INTERVIEW WITH JOHN SWEENIE ABOUT MYSTICISM FOR INTELLECTUALS
In Memory of Roy Batty takes us off on an irresistible and well-muscled groove, chromatic or even atonal, like the character it references (Batty is the name of the main antagonist, a fugitive android played by Rutger Hauer, from the movie Blade Runner).
Additive, which lasts about fifteen minutes, is indeed an accumulation of energy that gradually releases itself in a slow but inevitable crescendo, increasingly charged and athletic, in the style of Montreal indie-rock masterpieces (GYBE!…).
When You’re Gone (We Sing Of You) is a ballad, almost a contemplative nocturne, that transitions from abstract, Webernian colours to a much more conventional melodic cushion, but introduced in an organic and natural way. A very beautiful moment of calm and emotional warmth.
Through the Clouds rises above said clouds thanks to airy harmonies and some coloristic touches like refreshing breezes. Through a melody with sparkling ornaments, a benevolent light emerges, like a calming oasis in this album often filled with dark strokes and gusts.
Darling, We’ve Grown Apart descends back to earth, but in a melancholic state of mind, which begins with a winding melody. The music builds up, densifies like an overflow of memories, more or less painful. It relaxes a bit before a wild finale, almost free, but mastered, not at all garish. One can sense mixed emotions, framed by detachment and resilience, the simple and lucid realisation that a chapter of life has ended. It is superbly written, with random cascades of piano by Jean-Michel Pilc and support oscillating between linearity and frolicking freedom by Rémi-Jean Leblanc (double bass) and Rich Irwin (drums).
threehundredandfortythreesecondsofimprovisation echoes the libertarian extravagances of the previous track from the very first measures. The pulse gradually settles into an impressive, insistent, exciting Ornette-like construction that culminates in a sonic ecstasy. Wow.
The Heartford Line concludes this memorable album by returning to the muscular groove of the beginning, which carries a melody worthy of Thom Yorke played by Sweenie, launched immediately from the very first moments. The rest is an increasingly rich development of this melody and its latent harmony, from each member of the quartet, without ever losing a single iota of propulsive energy.
Mysticism for Intellectuals is already one of my albums of the year 2026. It will be available April 9 2026.
LAUNCH OF THE ALBUM MYSTICISM FOR INTELLECTUALS:
John Sweenie – Saxophone and Compositions
Jean-Michel Pilc – Piano
Rémi-Jean Leblanc – El. Bass and Double Bass
Richard Irwin – Drums
