The restless, mysterious, and intricate music of Brunö Lapin draws less on contemporary jazz than on the intimate sound of classical chamber music and the rhythmic foundations of traditional music cultures outside Europe. The overlap with the lineup of Space Galvachers and L’Arbre Rouge is by no means accidental: the album represents and further expands the line of French chamber jazz that has been an important part of the BMC Records catalog for years.

Brunö Lapin is a true chamber jazz trio whose restless, mysterious, and intricate music draws less on contemporary jazz than on the intimate sound of classical chamber music and the rhythmic foundations of traditional music cultures outside Europe. The collaboration between Sophie Bernado, Jocelyn Mienniel and Clément Petit initially focused on improvisation, but gradually shifted towards melodydriven, sometimes even danceable compositions, which make up the main part of the album, outlining the story of a character who is both imaginary and real-life – Brunö Lapin, or Brunö the Rabbit. However, the trio’s sound is even more distinctive than the musicians’ compositions: the unusual trio of flute, bassoon, and cello is sometimes complemented by Bernado’s singing. The restrained instrumentation gives way to dazzlingly rich sounds, thanks to versatile timbre changes and playing styles.

Clément Petit (cello) is just as immersed in African-American and Caribbean music as he is in contemporary improvisational genres. This personal style, blending various influences, defines his work as a member of Guembri Superstar, Naïssam Jalal’s Healing Rituals, and the chamber folk jazz trio Space Galvachers, closely tied to BMC Records. He collaborates with renowned representatives of world music and jazz, such as Oumou Sangaré, Angélique Kidjo, Salif Keïta, Régis Huby, and Claude Tchamitchian. Sophie Bernado (bassoon) achieved her first major success with the band Lila Bazooka. As a member of L’Arbre Rouge, she has appeared on two BMC Records albums; she plays with Finis Terrae, led by Vincent Courtois, and she has recently founded a quartet called Célestine in the Clouds. Jocelyn Mienniel (flute) joins the label with this recording; he has previously appeared on the stage of the BMC with Sylvain Rifflet’s Mechanics Quartet, and works with musicians such as Henri Texier, Vincent Peirani, and Youn Sun Nah.