Les Diaboliques

This is about as fine an example you are likely to find of these three "crazy" (meant affectionately) women pushing the limits. Recorded live at a European jazz festival, the trio of vocalist Maggie Nichols, bassist Joelle Leandre, and pianist Irene Schweizer never lets up, shooting fireworks of offbeat rhythms, screwball melodic lines, and distortions. Nichols often seems to take the lead, with her nonsense syllables, occasional warped commentary, Louis Armstrong scatting, and bent warbles bouncing off the walls. Leandre is in full force, too, as she stretches the strings with her patented technical bravado. In this company, Schweizer is the conservative one, her piano the glue that holds it all together, but her improvisational prowess is in full throttle, as shown particularly on her solo piece, "Rheingefallen." The three seem to be having fun, without sacrificing quality, and that, of course, gives the performance its special tenor. A coherent whole, there is a vivacious, wily spirit that never lets up, and never leaves the listener empty-handed. Les Diaboliques, indeed! ~ Steven Loewy|