There are two distinct knots of extraordinary traditional jazz interpreters in Europe right now. One contingent consists of Andrew Oliver, Nick Ball, David Horniblow, Dave Kelbie, and Michael McQuaid, all centered in the UK, the other aura of jazz bliss hovers around the projects of Félix Hunot, Malo Mazurié, David Lukács, Sébastien Girardot, Guillaume Nouaux, and Attila Korb.
Where a musician from one of these groups is at the head of an album they are sure to be joined by a few of the others and The Jazz Musketeers, led by Félix Hunot is no exception. (The one chance you'll have to hear ALL of these artists together is at the Whitley Bay Festival, also known as jazz heaven.)
A guitarist and banjo player, as well as, I've now learned, a fine vocalist, Felix Hunot received my praise backing up David Lukács on his Dream City album, and for a trio with Sébastien Girardot and Malo Mazurié called Three Blind Mice. This is Hunot's first album as leader, and while he was always allowed to escape a purely rhythm role, he takes center stage here supported by Mazurié's cornet, Lukács' clarinet ,and Korb's bass sax. Apparently this grouping goes back many years in live performance even though the four haven't recorded as a quartet until now.
If I had one reservation about the other work from these musicians it was that while their albums would impress serious fans and delig
