Punctus

Pierre Favre is a highly sensitive percussionist who has played successfully in several styles. He is probably best known for his huge drum sets, featuring a plethora of little instruments. Favre squeezes tones from his hardware, but he also plays backup with clearly articulated beats and accents. Above all, he listens very closely. His pristine sound is captured well on this disc — the slightest tap on cymbals is heard sharply. Tino Tracanna is one of Italy's leading lights on saxophone — a modern interpreter of new sounds on an array of reeds. Tracanna is a melodicist first, although he can blow hard and raw if required. Favre has found a perfect partner in Tracanna, as the latter is uniquely suited to the sort of minimalist gentleness that Favre has come to represent. Neither tries to grandstand or outdo the other; instead they opt for complete cooperation. Each track may be viewed as a conversation or even a light boxing match between two professionals, but it is more a combined effort to create something from nothing. While occasionally they drift a bit, they tend to be remarkably in sync. (Listen to them, for example, on Monk's "Misterioso.") The freely improvised duo is risky business. This one holds up well for the full length of this CD.