Musina Ebobissé - Abstract Narratives (2024) [Hi-Res]

Abstract Narratives is the third album in quintet form by tenor saxophonist and composer Musina Ebobissé, and the first recorded in Paris (at Studio Sextan on January 11 and 12, 2024) with a local team. His ensemble features Olga Amelchenko on alto saxophone, Simon Chivallon on piano, Etienne Renard on double bass, and Stéphane Adsuar on drums. This group is already united through their performances in Paris of the repertoire Musina previously recorded in Berlin with local musicians.

The two prior albums recorded in Berlin—Timeprints (Double Moon Records - 2019) and Engrams (Jazzdor Series - 2023)—explored themes of memory and the marks left by time. In Abstract Narratives, Musina invites listeners into wordless stories, or sound tales. He questions the capacity of instrumental jazz to convey meaning and express the contradictions of our era.

"I pay close attention to the search for forms in composition, the architecture of the pieces, their narratives and progression, which inspired the idea of narration and the album's title.”

Although this third album maintains an aesthetic continuity in terms of writing and intentions, it is energized by a new ensemble sound. Musina is engaged in balancing written passages with improvisations on one hand, and interplay with solos on the other. Dense, intricate written sections alternate with more subdued passages that allow for individual expression; this is evident in the improvised bass and drum introductions of the pieces "Esquisses" and "Outsiders," as well as in the piano-bass interlude that punctuates "Eboshi Gozen.”

Influenced by both American and European modern and contemporary jazz scenes, Musina embodies a dual energy.

"I feel torn between the winding, the complex, the strange, and moments of rest in meditative spaces. I think in terms of moods.”

A key continuity in Musina’s quintet work is his talent for counterpoint between the alto and tenor saxophones. Abstract Narratives reflects a decade of collaboration between Musina Ebobissé on tenor and Olga Amelchenko on alto. Their melodies flow and respond to each other, creating a rich dialogue characterized by timbral depth, role-playing, and contrasting elements.

Ultimately, Abstract Narratives aims to express a relationship to the world and its complexities. The piece titles, which carry an indirect political resonance, connect with the literature, films, plays, paintings, and life experiences that inspire Musina:

“Eboshi Gozen” is named after a character from Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Princess Mononoke, a woman who serves as both protector of her city and its inhabitants and aggressor toward the surrounding natural world.
“Nassun and Essun” are characters from N.K. Jemisin's trilogy The Broken Earth, set on a planet marked by chaotic seasons and systemic oppression.
“Grado,” the title of a play by German author F-X Kroetz, critiques social injustice through the story of a working-class couple navigating their vacation against a complex social backdrop, highlighting the disparity between consumer pressures and their daily realities.
“The Fireside Angel” alludes to the rise of fascism, a context within which Max Ernst's painting is situated.

While Abstract Narratives emphasizes the imaginary, it also subtly reflects contemporary concerns and the complexities of our world.

Musina Ebobissé: tenor sax, compositionn
Olga Amelchenko: alto sax
Simon Chivallon: piano
Etienne Renard: Double Bass
Stéphane Adsuar: Drums