Daunik Lazro

by Eugene ChadbourneThe French saxophonist Daunik Lazro combines a tart, piercing tone with a quick mind, and flexible philosophy of music-making. His professional start was in the bassist Saheb Sarbib's orchestra, a relationship he maintained through most of the '70s, including three recordings. His first steps playing his own music involved a radical resizing of the cast on stage, going from orchestra playing to solo saxophone concerts and duets. In the '80s he busily played with many on the European improvised music scene, including bassit Jean Jacques Avenel, cellist Tristan Honsinger, violinist Carlos Zingaro, drummer Christian Rollet, saxophonist Evan Parker, trombonist George Lewis, bassist Joelle Léandre and pianist Irene Schweizer. In the mid '80s Lauzro expanded his partnerships to include dance and theatre projects, including work with the Company of the Chance.
He formed a particularly fine trio in 1987 with fellow saxophonist Michel Doneda and the brilliant percussionnist Lê Quan Ninh, playing at many of the major European festivals and also touring in Canada. Duets with the American free improviser Joe McPhee are a 1991 discographical highlight, during a period when Lazro also began playing viola. In 1993 he started his own orchestra as well as a quartet called Outlaws in Jazz with Jac Berrocal, Didier Levallet and Dennis Charles. In 1995 he toured Europe in a triple threat combination with both McPhee and Parker, and the former artist also joined him in a quartet the following year with the superb British contrabassist Paul Rogers. In the late 90's he continued involvement with a series of orchestra projects, often as a guest soloist.