«Exotica»: jazz opens up to the influences of the world
The “Exotica” project returned to Lugano as a trio after its performance two years ago as a duo.
At the LAC in Lugano last night, the trio led by American saxophonist Chico Freeman hit the mark, presenting an original musical concept that was highly appreciated by the audience.
The first impulse is to compare this concert with the one in 2023 at Jazz in Bess. Back then, the stage was shared only by Chico Freeman—an exceptional saxophonist and a true piece of jazz history—and Heiri Känzig, one of Switzerland’s finest double bass players, known for his versatility, precision, and skill.
In that duo formation, the weight of the musical performance was distributed differently, with Freeman’s saxophones as the central element around which the entire project revolved. His sound is naturally solid and authoritative, deeply rooted in the jazz tradition and beyond. His Chicago origins, combined with the knowledge that he is a direct descendant of a jazz colossus like Von Freeman, give the impression that his style carries an uninterrupted flow of thought, deeply connected to the genre’s origins. Additionally, the unique inflections in his playing—shaped by influences from Oriental and Indian music—lend his saxophone a distinct personality.
Compared to the duo version of Exotica, the trio formation heard last night at the LAC inevitably shifted its center of gravity. The presence of Swiss percussionist Reto Weber—who can hardly be called just a drummer—added a distinctly exotic timbre to the group’s sound. His arsenal included African drums immersed in water, the calebasse from Mali (“a percussion instrument traditionally played only by women,” as Weber explained), which accompanied a five-beat composition by Freeman evoking the pace of a camel. He also played the djembe, a North African drum, and his signature hang, a flying saucer-shaped steel drum played with the hands. These diverse percussions shaped the repertoire, making it more accessible through catchy melodies and minimalist yet engaging rhythms. In this setting, Weber’s sound strongly influenced the group’s aesthetics, adding a refreshing lightness—perhaps slightly overshadowing Freeman’s commanding presence, though Freeman himself played generously and as an equal partner.
However, the role of the true showman fell entirely on Heiri Känzig. As he mentioned in an interview published here two years ago, he carries the complex task of harmonizing and coordinating the trio. Throughout the concert, it became evident that he was the one guiding the themes, reminding his fellow musicians of the next piece in the setlist, providing structure to their improvisations, and bringing them back to the main themes. The concert program featured compositions from all three musicians, though with a slight predominance of Weber’s pieces.
A particularly special moment occurred when the audience witnessed the birth of a new composition. During the soundcheck, the trio sketched out an idea for the first time, which they then performed as the final piece of the evening—a spontaneous creation that surprised even the musicians themselves, though most of the audience was unaware of its origin.
The concert received an excellent public response, marking a strong start to the new collaboration between LAC and Jazz in Bess. This joint venture, featuring a mini-series of four concerts, will culminate on April 1st with the highly anticipated performance of the John Scofield Trio in LAC’s main hall. This promising synergy is off to a great start, much to the delight of the region’s jazz enthusiasts.
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