She lives in Berlin, she is a saxophonist, conductor, and composer. Her name is Fabia Mantwill, and when you listen to her music on the album In.Sight, you are likely to remember her. The young lady practices a musical ecumenism that fuses jazz, classical and pop in an attractive way. In some places, she opens a window onto landscapes à la John Barry for 007, elsewhere, we are in jazz-pop territory, or rather in an orchestral panorama a little crossover-y with world music in it (South American folk, Mandingue). Beautiful string surges support trotting rhythms, adorned with changing colors, here the kora, there the accordion, elsewhere the electric guitar, etc. Mantwill writes easy melodies that catch the ear and hold interest. Guests like Kurt Rosenwinkel and Anat Cohen demonstrate the artistic pull that the barely 32-year-old artist exerts.
In terms of comparison with our own here in Quebec, I think a bit about the Cordâme ensemble, which does this kind of fusion very well. The difference with Mantwill and her orchestra is the dimension and specific traits she brings to the paintings she creates. Her orchestra is more fleshy than Cordâme, which plunges us into a much larger, more suggestive fresco. On the other hand, a slight drawback, the contrasts between classical and pop-jazz that she assembles often rub together in a more harsh, more rugged way than with the Quebec ensemble. The final product, although very beautiful, is not as elegant.
That said, In.Sight is a delightful release, filled with pleasant themes and melodies that one enjoys replaying, as well as an overall velvety sound that is pleasing to snuggle into.
