French maestro and impresario Laurent Rochelle produced the charming Prima Kanta record which we noted in 2021, enjoying its very approachable take on modernism and minimalist composerly modes…slightly less impressed by the Cyclotimic Songs item which was his take on pop-jazz sampledelica with a soundtracky twist, but evidently – going by the wide variety of tunes and styles on 20 Years: Two Decades of Polychrome Sounds from the Underground (LES DISQUES LINOLEUM LIN 026) – this slippery ferrow has a few more party favours tucked into his utility belt.
Drawn from a number of prior releases on Rochelle’s Linoleum label, and featuring many guest artists, friends, and collaborators, it’s an entertaining flurry embracing free improvisation, pop, jazz, chanson, modern classical, circus-style bands, and more. Given Laurent Rochelle’s versatility – he plays a very fluid soprano sax, and there are some cuts where he plays all the instruments – one’s tempted for two seconds to liken him to Pascal Comelade, except that Laurent isn’t anywhere near as radical or experimental. Indeed, every user-friendly track here is more concerned with winning new friends as quickly as possible with colour, warmth, and dazzling chops. Look elsewhere if you want a complete shopping list of all the wonderful names here, but I will single out Denis Frajerman (see also Palo Alto, and the unusual Macau Peplum record) who appears early on with his ‘Quatuor No. 1 en Moultes Fractures’, a true head-scratcher puzzling string quartet piece which wins the “golden brioche” award as the soundtrack for a French art movie from 1977 that never was.
I’m not a huge fan of “sampler” releases like this one, and my interest with this one fades as we go further in and more instances of spoken-word or breathy songs from torchy types appear, but it’s a solid package of talent nonetheless. Rochelle also has a nice line in commissioning quirky cover art, and takes the time to give thanks to the “graphistes” who spilled their ink for his cause. (July 2023)