Vanasse/Vitous

Montreal-based vibist Jean Vanasse and Czech bassist/composer Miroslav Vitous released a recording back then called Nouvelle Cuisine (Justin Time), featuring a collection of playful, adventurous duet pieces. A veteran on the Québec jazz scene with several acclaimed Effendi recordings by his sextet, “Vanasse’s general approach smacks of Gary Burton, but his bold, percussive attack, keen sense of dynamics and inventive solos transcend mere comparison,” notes the Globe and Mail. Miroslav Vitous is a monster bass player in a league with Scott LaFaro, Dave Holland, and Charlie Haden. His late ’60s performance on Now He Sings, Now He Sobs (Solid State/Blue Note) with Chick Corea and Roy Haynes is astonishing. This classic piano-trio recording shows his strong rhythmic sense, innovative walking lines, and intensity as an improviser. Since then he’s led his own groups featuring players like John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, and Jack DeJohnette, and he was a founding member with Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul of the seminal fusion band Weather Report. The last decade has found Vitous focusing more on composing and arranging. His latest recordings, Universal Syncopations 1 & 2 (ECM), showcase his current interest in melding jazz improvisation with classical music forms.