# CD review: Jean-Luc «Oboman» Fillon – Jumpin’ with Art 2022: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2022/11/10/cd-review-jean-luc-oboman-fillon-jumpin-with-art-2022-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2022-11-10T00:04:52+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**For his 17th album as a leader, J-Luc Oboman Fillon, the world’s leading jazz 
oboist, has gathered four excellent jazzmen around original and personal arrangements
of the music of Art Blakey’s jazz messengers (Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Freddie
Hubbard, Cedar Walton).**

Originally from Mantes la Jolie, a town that was very much into jazz at the time,
he had the chance to attend many jazz concerts at a very early age. In the early
80’s, he discovered the Jazz Messengers and met the great master of drums, Art Blakey.
The festival director had asked him to lend his bass amp to Charles Fambrough in
exchange for a prime spot at the concert! The curtains open, the orchestra explodes
on a Witch Hunt by Wayne Shorter, which makes him dizzy: he remains blissful, intoxicated,
euphoric! He buys the record “Live in Paris”, record of the year 1981, essential
record to his jazz path. Since then, he has always been fascinated by the music 
of the Jazz Messengers and consequently by that of Wayne Shorter.

But how and why would he want to play this music again today, and especially with
an oboe/English horn and an alto violin as a front line? Especially since the Guinness
Book ranks the oboe among the two most difficult musical instruments to play (the
other being the French horn). The recognition of the jazz community and beyond has
nevertheless encouraged Oboman to continue his pioneering adventure.

Regularly, he takes up the music of the great composers: In 2006, it was “Echoes
of Ellington” and in 2014, the album “Oboman Plays Cole Porter”. Both albums were
highly acclaimed by the critics, especially for the quality and originality of the
arrangements.

This new project “Jumpin’ with Art” – no doubt in reference to Count Basie’s “Jumpin’
at the Woodside” – another childhood memory – and to a little pun between Art Blakey
and Art musical…- is presented in a more conventional format with a solid rhythm
section => piano (and/or Fender Rhodes), double bass and drums . “When I talked 
about this project with Olivier Hutman and Fred Eymard, and then with Bruno Rousselet
and Karl Jannuska, I immediately felt an enthusiasm and a total adhesion to the 
project. It was a great success”, says Oboman.

At first, he says that he immersed himself with delight in all the Jazz Messengers’
recordings with, 40 years later, a more informed and therefore more critical ear.
The final choice of pieces required a long process of listening and re-listening
and was conditioned by the interest and feasibility of an arrangement. “I wanted
to be able to mix and shape this musical material to better appropriate it. I wanted
groove, Africa, reggae, energy, a nod to classical music with the chorale of This
is For Albert – of course, I know it’s a tribute to Albert Ayler, but for me, it’s
more about my father, Albert, who’s about to turn 93” says Oboman.

“My idea was to try to make the oboe/viola pair sound as good as possible, so, when
possible, to play three voices simultaneously. Then the quintet rehearsals allowed
us to adjust the grooves and finalize the shape of the pieces. Everyone had an opinion
on the matter and I like that! It’s a pleasant and productive form of collective
intelligence.

Finally, our three days of recording went wonderfully well, in a relaxed, good mood
and the collective desire to give the best! I am deeply convinced that this 17th
album will not go unnoticed! The reunion of the oboe/English horn and an alto violin
is a first in the history of Jazz. Yes, I am an oboist, yes, I played 10 years in
the classical sphere but Jazz is deeply rooted in me.

01.This Is for Albert (04:22)
 02.Tom Thumb (05:31) 03.I’m Not Sure (06:28) 04.Martha’s
Prize (04:09) 05.So Tired (03:29) 06.Lost (04:31) 07.Crisis (05:10) 08.United (05:
13) 09.Contemplation (05:48) 10.Armageddon (07:14) 11.Africaine (04:08) 12.I’m not
sure (Rhodes version) (04:08)

**Jean-Luc « Oboman » Fillon: Oboe d’amore and English horn**
 **Frederic Eymard:
viola** **Olivier Hutman: piano** **Bruno Rousselet: double bass** **Karl Jannuska:
drums**

[**New CD – 2022 – Buy from here**](https://www.quaartz-boutique.com/en/products/oboman-jumpin-with-art-cd)

![](https://i0.wp.com/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0562/2418/6527/products/CR350-3770025325101-
Jean-Luc-Fillon-Oboman-Jumpin-with-Art-FRONT_1024x1024@2x.jpg?resize=640%2C640&ssl
=1)

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