Jean-Marc Hébert

Jean-Marc Hébert has pulled together a skilled ensemble and leads them through a consistent thematic journey, assembling a collection of reference points, from mildly prog melodies and rock rhythms to a healthy dose of Afro-Asian references. In this he has been wise in establishing a fairly fixed reference point for the pieces. However, even though the compositions are well played and fleshed out by solid musicianship, they lack the necessary piquancy to push them and the improvisations into inspiration. This is something that’s necessary, especially when the form itself is one that has had a significant history of exploration in other areas of music, notably the world music scene. The result winds up being a pleasant distraction rather than something that excites or is revelatory.