Mystère trio 4 Tet - Les ondes vagabondes (2020)

In the beginning there was … Django. Of course, Mystèretrio Quartet is paying tribute to the gypsy master with this very successful sixth album, “Les Saisons du Swing”, in which they play several of his pieces and particularly a very original and effective “Minor Swing”. But the quartet is mainly distilling its own colors with nine original compositions, the fruits of touring around the world for 18 years. The wide-ranging musical influences have swing and virtuosity as common denominators, but also a warm, personal and authentic sound.
The two guitarists from Toulouse, Christophe Gruel and Cyril Salvagnac, who founded the group in 1998, have the quiet virtuosity of those who possess the gift, to which they’ve added a lot of practice and many kilometers traveled. They can play very fast, but they don’t necessarily.
The rhythm is also solid, with bassist Fabrice Camboulive, the last to join the original trio, bringing roundness and a new sound to the group, accompanied byLaurent Meyer, singular drummer-percussionist who has managed to incorporate into gypsy swing the particular Cajon sound that transports us to the Americas.
On top of their technical skills, the four instrumentalists display a mastery in composition and original arrangements. One can only admire this quality in the writing, constantly enhancing the melody and drawing from its gypsy, Spanish, Latin, Afro-blue, Balkan and groove roots.