Uploaded August 2018 | Updated September 2026, 57 minutes ago
Third act of a three part documentary I made of of saxophonist Benjamin Deschamps' project, "No Codes".
This clip features Deschamps in CBC Radio Canada's Studio 12 in Montreal, a soon to be dismantled Mecca of Quebec recording. Deschamps was nominated ''Révélation Radio-Canada Jazz'' for the year 2017-2018, and this session was the last, and perhaps most memorable of the many subventions Benjamin received from the CBC.
Joined by saxophonist Frank Lozano, drummer Louis-Vincent Hamel, and bassist Sébastien Pellerin, Deschamps explores 'non-standard' ways of playing standards. By reordering the expected structure of a piece, and applying other inventive 'code-breaking' treatments, the group effectively morphs the more traditional American Song Standard into contemporary, angular pieces that bear little resemblance to their traditional origin.
The band though, still gets to revel in their jazz roots, playing off of the well-worn chord progressions of the source material, and making a new musical commentary on the old jazz tropes.
Clearly one of the new guard of Canadian jazz, Deschamps stands toe to toe with the greatest of his Montreal peers. From leading an A-list big band, to teaching at a local music college, to his work as a small group leader, it doesn't get any better than this.
Third act of a three part documentary I made of of saxophonist Benjamin Deschamps' project, "No Codes".
This clip features Deschamps in CBC Radio Canada's Studio 12 in Montreal, a soon to be dismantled Mecca of Quebec recording. Deschamps was nominated ''Révélation Radio-Canada Jazz'' for the year 2017-2018, and this session was the last, and perhaps most memorable of the many subventions Benjamin received from the CBC.
Joined by saxophonist Frank Lozano, drummer Louis-Vincent Hamel, and bassist Sébastien Pellerin, Deschamps explores 'non-standard' ways of playing standards. By reordering the expected structure of a piece, and applying other inventive 'code-breaking' treatments, the group effectively morphs the more traditional American Song Standard into contemporary, angular pieces that bear little resemblance to their traditional origin.
The band though, still gets to revel in their jazz roots, playing off of the well-worn chord progressions of the source material, and making a new musical commentary on the old jazz tropes.
Clearly one of the new guard of Canadian jazz, Deschamps stands toe to toe with the greatest of his Montreal peers. From leading an A-list big band, to teaching at a local music college, to his work as a small group leader, it doesn't get any better than this.
