Throughout his career, saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart has made music sparked by his interest in various cultures, as evidenced by his Africa-inspired Gwoka Jazz Project; his voodoo-centric Jazz Racine Haiti album; and the Creole Spirits Project, a celebration of Haitian and Cuban mysticism. Hazzan, which draws from Jewish liturgical music — and his own ethnic background
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That first track, “Shabbat Menuka Hi,” is traditional, like nearly all the selections, but Schwarz-Bart’s interpretation sounds thoroughly contemporary. The proceedings begin with a sprightly pattern from bassist Stéphane Kerecki, the sharp crack of Arnaud Dolmen’s drums and a groove courtesy of pianist Grégory Privat that creates a foundation for ecstatic exhortations by vocalist David Linx. Only then does Schwarz-Bart enter, echoing Linx’s line before exploring the soundscape on his own, his extended wails directed toward a higher power.
Subsequent numbers use this template to place ancient works in a modern context. On “Mi Shebeirach,” a prayer for healing, Schwarz-Bart transforms the reverent melody by way of fluid extrapolations that allow it to breathe. “Oseh Shalom” is moody, dark and sinuous; “Daienu” swings hard without losing focus; and “Avinu Malkenu” begins with Schwarz-Bart alone and impassioned before evolving into a ballad of breathtaking delicacy.
Of the offerings here, “Ahot Ketana” is the one that announces its influences most overtly. At its center is a poem delivered by Linx, who talks about “looking deep inside — then searching even deeper.” That’s a neat summation of Hazzan, as well as Schwarz-Bart’s approach to his art.— Michael Roberts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQYJhcS3Tqs