Jazz Magazine (France) Disque D’émoi “HUFFLIGNON”
by Phillpp Méziat
Saxophoniste canadien, Peter Van Huffel vit aujourd’hui à Berlin et travaille dans le monde entier quand les occasions se présentent ,mais plus particulièrement sur la nouvelle scène de Brooklyn. 2lève de Dave Liebman et Tony Malaby, il a éné enregistré avec son quintette par le label Fresh Sound dans la série “New Talent”, et vient de cosigner un opus sur Clean Feed avec la chanteuse belge Sophie Tassignon. Laquelle, élève de David Lins, a suivi également l’enseignement de Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan, Thierry Peala, Tony Malaby et suivi un peu le même parcours international. … on tient là un magnifique enregistrement, parfaitement conduit de bout en bout qui procure des émotions diverses en jouant sur plusieurs registres et combinaisons, auxquels sont associés de façon éminente le tromboniste suisse Samuel Blaser (à découvrir absolument) et le bassiste Michael Bates. Ce qui frappe ici, et séduit considérablement, c’est la balance quasi parfaite entre les moments de pure improvisation et le travail d’écriture. Le magnifique Cum Dederit d’Antonio Vivaldi emblématise en quelque sorte l’ensemble du CD, dont les pièces sont pour les deux tiers la plume de Sophie Taassignon, le reste revenant au saxophoniste. On aimers l’opposition calculée entre les sonorités aigues du saxophone et de la voix, et le registre drave dans lequel se tiennent la contrebasse et le trombone. La chair de cette musique est sombre, mais elle est tendre, et elle tient sur une intelligente poétique de l’entrelacement. Il semble que ce quartette n’ait pas encore de dates tien régulières en France : il faudra y remédier, car c’est aussi en concert que cette musique prend toute la dimension, son sen, et sa valleur.
All About Jazz New York Review on “HUFFLIGNON”
by Wilbur MacKenzie – March, 2009 Issue
Saxophonist Peter Van Huffel and vocalist Sophie Tassignon’s new release, Hufflignon, features compositions by both musicians, brought to life by an unusual quartet of trombone, woodwinds, voice and contrabass. Huffel and Blaser are often teamed up with intricately-voiced melodies, while bassist Michael Bates alternates between foundational support, textural bowing and thoughtful melodic statements. Tassignon’s singing is quite versatile; on more structured pieces like “Thoughts And Memories” and the opener, “Dégringolade”, she exhibits horn-like melodic and rhythmic dexterity, while at other times her voice wanders through a labyrinthine maze of amorphous syllabic abstractions. Two examples of the latter approach include “Landscape (morning)” and “The Sad Imposing Tree”, both of which provide wonderfully abstract sound worlds. That isn’t to say that the music is at all dualistic; rather, the abstractions and melodies react nicely together, creating a unified sonic environment that moves freely between steady pulse and more introspective arrangements of sound. Tassignon’s piece “Nervous Breakdown” veers closer to the careening chamber improvisation of the Paul Bley/Steve Swallow-era Jimmy Giuffre 3, with a dexterous solo from Blaser. Van Huffel’s playing throughout is richly nuanced, with melody and texture seamlessly integrated to create colorful and evocative statements.
All About Jazz Italy Review on “HUFFLIGNON”
by Vittorio Lo Conte, February 25, 2009
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“Peter van Huffel, sassofonista canadese e la cantante belga Sophie Tassignon hanno deciso di mettere su un quartetto e di andare in studio, a New York, firmando un lavoro riuscito, meditato e con un attento equilibrio dei suoni.La Tassignon padroneggia sia il repertorio antico (un’appassionata versione di “Cum dederit” di Vivaldi) che i vocalizzi sperimentali sdoganati da cantanti come Lauren Newton. Gridi, mormorii, tutto, ma proprio tutto, il possibile della voce umana viene esplorato in modo logico, in dialogo con un sassofono che ha imparato ad esprimersi con un lirismo intenso e con i due compagni d’avventura: il pulsante basso di Michael Bates ed il trombone di Samuel Blaser dai mille borbottii, ma anche abile ad inseguire momenti molto puliti con Peter van Huffel.”
TEMPORARY FAULT Review on “HUFFLIGNON”
by Massimo Ricci, February 2, 2009
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“Hufflignon is the result produced by a group led by Canadian saxophonist Peter Van Huffel and Belgian vocalist Sophie Tassignon flanked by trombonist Samuel Blaser and bassist Michael Bates. Van Huffel, in this instance on alto and soprano, is the owner of a sophisticated technique and a suavely faultless tone that Tassignon is all too eager to stimulate…”
Review on “HUFFLIGNON” by Friedrich W. Sixel
January 16, 2009
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The CD “Hufflignon” truly reflects – as the title suggests – a synthesis between the musical minds of Peter van Huffel, the established Canadian saxophonist, and Sophie Tassignon, the extraordinary Belgian vocalist. Nine of the 10 tracks on this release are by Sophie (6) and Peter (3), while one of them takes off from a theme by Vivaldi, namely his “Cum Dederit” which I believe has been taken from his “Nisi Dominus”, (Ps.126), in G-major, RV op. 608.
Clean Feed Records – Press Release (October 10, 2008)
Peter Van Huffel / Sophie Tassignon – HUFFLIGNON
You may not be familiar with van Huffel’s and Tassignon’s names, but don’t direct your attention to something else so quickly. Why? Because you’re gonna hear about the saxophonist and the singer very often in the years to come. Both are values in fast ascension in the international scene and it’s best to follow their tracks since the beginning. The Canadian, but living in New York, Peter van Huffel is a pupil of tenor great Tony Malaby, and only that information would be sufficient to havean idea of his profile – the words “powerful” and “lyrical” come to mind. But we have more data about him: he played already with people like Chris Potter, Clarence Penn and Danny McCaslin, and knowing this is enlightening. Belgian of origin and a former student of David Linx, Sophie Tassignon is getting more famous in Europe because of her very personal and unique way to deal with “unsingable melodies” and her quick and inventive reactions in improvising situations. And she’s not shy at all doing so, as we can verify listening to the vocal band she co-founded, Screaming Bitches. Trombonist Samuel Blaser and bassist Michael Bates are their partners in the quartet effort titled “HuffLiGNon”, and the same we have to say about them: watch out!
Peter Van Huffel 