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Jean-Luc Ponty: Life Enigma

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: JLP Productions
Released: 2001.12.04
Time:
 54:50
Category: Jazz
Producer(s): Jean-Luc Ponty
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.ponty.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.12.05
Price in €: 15,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Two Thousand-One Years Ago (J-L.Ponty) - 4:20
[2] Signals from Planet Earth (J-L.Ponty) - 6:03
[3] The Infinite Human Caravan (J-L.Ponty) - 6:37
[4] Lonely Among All (J-L.Ponty) - 4:25
[5] Firmament (J-L.Ponty) - 7:22
[6] Pizzy Cat (J-L.Ponty) - 3:16
[7] Life Enigma (J-L.Ponty) - 5:56
[8] Even the Sun Will Die (J-L.Ponty) - 5:37
[9] Love at Last Sight (J-L.Ponty) - 5:15
[10] And Life Goes On (J-L.Ponty) - 6:01

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


JEAN-LUC PONTY - 5-string Electric Violin, 5-string Electric MIDI Violin with Synclavier (no overdubs), Keyboards, Electronic Percussion, Woodblock, Electronic Drum Effects, Engineer, Producer

GUY N'SANGUE AKWA - Electric Bass on [2],[3],[5],[7]-[10]
WILLIAM LECONTE - Piano on [5],[9]
THIERRY ARPINO - Drums, Shaker on [5],[8],[10]
MOUSTAPHA CISSÉ - Percussion on [3],[5],[8],[9]

KARIM SAI - Engineer, Mixing
GREG CALBI - Mastering
IOANNIS CHAPPELL - Art Direction, Design, Digital Art
ALAN CHAPPELL - Art Direction, Design
ALVARO YANEZ - Cover Photo
ADAM ROGERS - Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2001 CD JLP Productions 001



Like other jazz fusion heroes from the 1970s who haven't succumbed to smooth jazz, Jean-Luc Ponty incorporates elements from the acid jazz and drum 'n' bass scenes in Europe. With his first studio album in seven years, there's evidence that the French violinist may have been hitting the Paris nightclubs during his time away from the studio, specifically on the tracks "Signals from the Planet Earth" and "The Infinite Human Caravan." Only the opening track harks back to Ponty's self-absorbed period in the '80s, when his computer work overshadowed his violin playing. On the other two tracks, we get just his instrument and machines. Ponty seems to have matured into a programmer who won't let the computer take away from his status as a world-class violinist--good news, certainly, for his fans, who'd much rather hear his sterling electric violin. While Ponty works here mostly with a bassist and two percussionists, pianist William Lecomte makes his presence known with solid solos on two selections, and fretless bassist Guy Nsangue Akwa shines throughout. Life Enigma is easily Ponty's best album since the string of records he made for Atlantic ended 20 years ago.

Mark Ruffin - Amazon.com



French violinist Jean Luc Ponty is back with his first all-new album since 1993 -- one that also constitutes the first time he has made full use of digital technology. It is indeed well produced, with bright sonic patterns shifting from channel to channel, just like an old Yes record. However, the music is not nearly so well organized. During his more organic moments, Ponty's patented five-string violin applies baroque melodic lines to underlying sounds reminiscent of West African koras, Balinese gamelan, or repetitive Southern African thumb piano patterns. Like many European jazz musicians, Ponty is at his best when he forages within the several centuries worth of Western classical repertoire that are his birthright or borrows from the input of former French colonies. He is connected to these sounds in an intimate way and is thus able to access them from the inside out. However, playing jazz from outside the United States is a perilous thing. Not being exposed from birth to the logical progression of events that forged this deeply American tradition can put even the most talented and empathetic would-be practitioner at a loss. Consequentially, most of Ponty's tunes still hark back to the fusion-laced conceits he relied on during his '70s heyday.

It's a retro amalgam of intrusive synth patches, soft jazz clichés, silly Eurovision pop treatments, and spaced-out new age meanderings worthy of a Dutch hippie. Ponty can definitely play his axe, but he comes across as a virtuoso without a personal point of view.

Christina Roden - October 11, 2001
CDNOW Contributing Writer
Copyright © 1994-2001 CDnow Online, Inc. All rights reserved.



This album, which PONTY calls the best-sounding release of his career, is the first he's recorded using 24-bit digital technology. Most of LIFE ENIGMA was recorded at PONTY'S home studio with some rhythm tracks recorded in outside studios in Paris. Like other jazz fusion heroes from the 1970s who haven't succumbed to smooth jazz, Jean-Luc Ponty incorporates elements from the acid jazz and drum 'n' bass scenes in Europe. With his first studio album in seven years, there's evidence that the French violinist may have been hitting the Paris nightclubs during his time away from the studio, specifically on the tracks "Signals from the Planet Earth" and "The Infinite Human Caravan." Only the opening track harks back to Ponty's self-absorbed period in the '80s, when his computer work overshadowed his violin playing. On the other two tracks, we get just his instrument and machines. Ponty seems to have matured into a programmer who won't let the computer take away from his status as a world-class violinist--good news, certainly, for his fans, who'd much rather hear his sterling electric violin. While Ponty works here mostly with a bassist and two percussionists, pianist William Lecomte makes his presence known with solid solos on two selections, and fretless bassist Guy Nsangue Akwa shines throughout. Life Enigma is easily Ponty's best album since the string of records he made for Atlantic ended 20 years ago.

© 1999-2001 Musiciansnews.com All rights reserved#



With his first solo release in seven years, famed jazz-fusion/world music violinist, Jean Luc Ponty also utilizes various digital instruments along with assistance from others on selected works. Here, the violinist contends that Life Enigma parallels a musical style that he explored during his late 70’s Enigmatic Ocean and Cosmic Messenger outings. Expertly engineered, Ponty’s latest features his often-crystalline performances on the “Zeta” electronic violins, as we would be hard pressed to have heard anything as immaculately recorded, thanks to modern technology and all the companion bells and whistles. Hence, the sound quality is simply stunning throughout!

Ponty injects sequenced synths and electronic percussion into his repertoire while overdubbing his streaming and thoroughly sonorous lines atop West African grooves on “Two Thousand-One Years Ago” and elsewhere on this outing. Simply put, Ponty’s tuneful fabrics of sound are framed upon memorable melodies and pulsating percussion movements, although the majority of these works contain programmatic style undercurrents. Essentially, the esteemed artist’s latest endeavor is all about layered keys, bustling percussion, and gently climactic passages amid jazz-based sub-themes. Otherwise, the violinist’s listener friendly production should garner widespread appeal, yet if you’re expecting some of the innovative pyrotechnics and high-octane jazz-fusion witnessed on some of his previous sessions you might be disappointed.

Glenn Astarita
Copyright © 1996-2001 All About Jazz and contributing writers. All rights reserved.
  

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