Airelle Besson (trumpet) and Lionel Suarez (accordion) weave a lyrical, intuitive duo,improvised and composed, playful, poetic, and perfectly attuned.
Trumpet and accordion--an unusual yet perfectly complementary pairing--come to full fruition in the duo of Airelle Besson and Lionel Suarez. Whether filling the nave of Coutances Cathedral or whispering in intimate settings, their interplay unfolds with the natural fluidity of a wingbeat. Forget who accompanies whom: they proceed as one, sometimes sotto voce, often embracing the melody with delicate lyricism, always in perfect accord. When one recedes, the other slips in, sketching expectation and highlighting suspension with subtlety. This dialogue requires humility, mastery, and deep listening--qualities cultivated over twenty years of collaboration.
Their paths first crossed in 2006 on La Tectonique des nuages, led by Laurent Cugny, and solidified within Quarteto Gardel from 2009, before exploring duo work in 2016 during Besson's residency at Jazz sous les Pommiers. Suarez, with a rich trajectory spanning song, theatre, and film--including encounters with Claude Nougaro, Jean Rochefort, Sylvain Luc, Richard Bona, Didier Lockwood, and André Minvielle--has always maintained a steadfast dedication to jazz. Besson, following explorations with pianist Nelson Veras and organist Rhoda Scott, embraced the accordion as a breath of new inspiration.
The album interweaves carefully curated repertoire: originals like Blossom, Kyoto in the Mist, The Race, Suarez's Without a Forwarding Address and J-Day at H-Hour, studio-born improvisations (Lontano, Resonances), and a trumpet solo (Passing Through). Covers such as Answer Me, Ida Lupino, and Au Lait reflect shared inspirations--from Carla Bley to Michel Portal and Cinecittà's cinematic colours--reinterpreted with lyrical audacity. The result is music of intimacy, playfulness, and poetry, grounded in decades of shared experience, yet always open to surprise--a conversation that begins and ends with the breath, the tone, and the enduring friendship of two masterful musicians.
Track Listing
Blossom Kyoto dans la brume Sans laisser d’adresse Answer Me La course Résonances Ida Lupino Lontano Le jour j à l'heure h Au lait De passage Les tuiles bleues
