Francois and Louis Moutin © Pamela Espeland

“Evoking the patina of old-world cities and the allure of drowning memories…” --Franz Matzner, All About Jazz

On Thursday night, June 21^st, New Yorkers can celebrate the solstice by llistening to the Moutin Reunion Quartet at Sweet Rhythm—surely the apogee of internationally flavored modern jazz. The Moutin Reunion Quartet is the “reunion” of bassist Francois and drummer Louis Moutin, twin Parisian jazz artists touring in partnership with pianist Pierre de Bethmann and American saxophonist Rick Margitza.

Twin brothers Louis and Francois Moutin created the Moutin Reunion Quartet in 1999 as an outlet for performing their original compositions, a goal shared with Pierre de Bethmann and Rick Margitza. Over the past four years, the Quartet has toured throughout Europe and the U.S., generating high praise wherever they go.

The Paris-born Moutin brothers were encouraged by their parents to pursue music from early childhood. Francois first studied guitar from age 5, adding piano at age 11 and finally realized his lifelong love for the acoustic bass as a teenager. Studying mathematics and physics in college, Francois earned an undergraduate degree in engineering and a doctorate in physics at age 24. Music was the stronger calling, however, and at age 29 he formed the Quintet Moutin with twin Louis, by then a top echelon jazz drummer. In November 1997, Francois relocated to New York where he has found steady work in live performance and studio sessions with the premier artists on the New York Jazz Scene, and where Quintet Moutin evolved into the current Moutin Reunion Quartet.

At age 7, Louis Moutin began teaching himself to play piano, turning to jazz drumming at age 20. Trained as an engineer at the prestigious Ecole Centrale and receiving a Masters Degree in Mathematics, Louis, like his twin brother, decided to abandon a career in technology to pursue music fulltime. He became a member of the very successful Machado Trio, performing frequently in the international jazz festival network. Collaboration with brother soon Francois followed.

Pierre de Bethmann began classical music studies at age 6, and by age 12 had discovered the world of jazz. He earned degrees in classical and jazz studies, including a year at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After working in management consulting from 1990 until 1994, he too switched careers to become a professional musician in 1995. A year earlier, he had founded the trio Prysm with Christophe Wallemme and Benjamin Henocq, which won the first prize of the National Jazz Contest of La Defense. deBethmann continues to perform with Prysm, touring internationally and recording four albums on Blue Note.

A highly regarded saxophonist on the international jazz scene, Rick Margitza is one of the most respected musicians of his generation. Inspired by John Coltrane, Michael Brecker and Wayne Shorter, he played oboe before switching to tenor sax in high school, attended Wayne State University, Berklee, the University of Miami, and finally Loyola University in New Orleans. For four years he worked in New Orleans and toured with Maynard Ferguson before moving to New York in 1988. There he joined Miles Davis' group, appearing on three albums--Amandla, Live Around the World and Live in Montreux. After cutting three albums for Blue Note during 1989-1991, he recorded five more solo albums and collaborations with such artists as Maria Schneider, Chick Corea and McCoy Tyner.

A gig by the Moutin Reunion Quartet will be filled with explosive invention, from original masterpieces to creative interpretations of the great bop masters. Collaboration is their prevailing theme, and while the arrangements generally might be pre-ordained, the free-wheeling nature of both collective and individual improvisation makes for an ever-evolving journey through sight and sound. And it’s all acoustic, although if you close your eyes during some of Francois’ bass antics, you might swear he is using some pedal effects. But no, it’s entirely sleight of hand… and fingers.

On June 21^st, we (in the northern hemisphere) enjoy the longest day of the year. But at least in 2007, the magic will extend well after dark when Sweet Rhythm hosts the Moutin Reunion Quartet with two shows, 8 and 10 pm. Welcome summer, French style!

Sweet Rhythm is located in Greenwich Village (New York City) at 88 Seventh Ave South; www.sweetrhythmny.com. Click here for a review of the Moutin Reunion Quartet’s gig at the Dakota in Minneapolis last January .

• June 22nd at Cezanne Jazz Club in Houston, TX
  4100 Montrose (between Richmond and Alabama), Houston, TX
  Startung at 9:00pm
  713 / 522-9621
  
• June 23rd at Dazzle Jazz Club in Denver, CO
  930 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO303 / 839-5100 x5
  
  
• June 24th at the Senior Recreation Center in Truth and Consequences, NM
  (505)894-0528
  
  
• June 25th at the Rainbow Libraryin Las Vegas, NV
  8:00pm - 10:00pm
  3150 N Buffalo Dr., Las Vegas, NV
  702 / 507-3710