Jean-Luc Ponty in Concert

AMG Review of Jean-Luc Ponty in Concert

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

Jean-Luc Ponty once incorporated banks of synthesizers plus digital delay for special effects on his violin, as well as an electric guitarist. But starting in the late '90s, his international quintet became considerably stripped down, with a heavy West African influence. It features keyboardist William Lecomte, electric bassist Guy Nsangué Akwa, drummer Thierry Arpino, and percussionist Moustapha Cisse in a superb 1999 concert in Warsaw. The virtuoso leader is not one to hog the spotlight, as he showcases each member of the band, though he is still very much at the top of his game on his instrument at the age of 57. The Polish audience is a bit more reserved than most, usually saving the applause until each song is finished rather than insisting on automatic rounds of applause following every solo, as in the U.S. It is immediately apparent that the musicians are enjoying themselves throughout the performance.

Both "Rhythms of Hope" and the lively "Jig," which first appeared on his release Mystical Adventures, prove less is more. Ponty and Akwa share the spotlight in the former, while Lecomte's formidable piano chops fuel Ponty's flights along in the latter. Cisse's prominent bongos drive the infectious fusion of jazz with a West African beat in "Caracas." "Memories of California" is initially a solo feature for the leader as he plays pizzicato on a MIDI violin with synclavier, with Lecomte joining him as he switching to playing arco. It's surprising that the crowd wasn't up and dancing along to "Mouna Bowa," a delightful toe-tapper jointly written with Akwa and premiered on Ponty's CD Tchokola. "Enigmatic Ocean (Part II)," an excerpt of a suite debuted by Ponty in the 1970s, takes on a new flavor with the additional percussion. The exciting finale is an updated interpretation of "Open Mind," which suggests a country hoedown in some ways. The photography, editing, and sound of the DVD are first-rate throughout the concert. The music was simultaneously issued on CD, but this DVD adds several bonuses, including biographies of the musicians (along with many rare photographs of Ponty in his formative years), often picturesque video excerpts of other concerts and rehearsals around the world, along with Ponty's complete discography. This highly recommended DVD is available through the artist's website at www.ponty.com.